A well-pitched game on both sides early on turned into a rout for the St. Paul Saints late. They scored seven runs over their final three at bats as Carson McCusker finished a triple shy of the cycle in a 9-3 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 6,074.
After not allowing a hit the first time through the order, Travis Adams gave up a two-out double to Moises Ballesteros in the fourth that was followed by a two-run homer to right by Kevin Alcántara giving the I-Cubs a 2-0. Adams went 6.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out four.
The Saints got one back in the bottom of the inning when Anthony Prato doubled to right-center and took third on an error by the centerfielder Alcántara when he picked up the ball and dropped it. Payton Eeles cut the deficit to 2-1 with an RBI single to left.
In the fourth the Saints tied it when McCusker ripped a double high off the wall in left-center, moved to third on a Jair Camargo fly out, and scored on a Chris Williams single to left.
The Saints grabbed their first lead of the game in the sixth. With one out Camargo blistered a single into right-center and scored on a two-out double to center by Jeferson Morales making it 3-2.
Brennan Davis tied the game for the I-Cubs leading off the seventh with a solo homer to left, his 11th of the season.
The 6-8, 250 pound McCusker gave them the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and nobody on Diego Castillo walked, Emmanuel Rodriguez singled to center, and McCusker lined a laser over the left field wall, his third of the season, giving the Saints a 6-3 lead.
They added insurance in the eighth as the Saints loaded the bases with two outs. Williams led off the inning with a single to left. With two outs Prato walked. That was followed by a ground ball from Eeles to the shortstop Matt Shaw and he tried to win a foot race to second base, but Prato slid in before Shaw got to the bag loading the bases. Castillo then hit a pop up into shallow center that second baseman Hayden Cantrelle went back on and centerfielder Owen Caissie came charging in on and the ball fell between the two for a bases clearing single increasing the lead to 9-3.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday evening against the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park at 6:15 p.m.
(info courtesy of Saints)