For the last 10 games the St. Paul Saints had chance after chance to win a game. For 10 consecutive games the Saints found different ways to lose games. On Wednesday night at CHS Field they finally broke through. Down five runs to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders entering the seventh inning, the Saints came back to tie the game and an Anthony Prato walk-off single in the 10th snapped the second longest losing streak in franchise history, 7-6 in front of 7,967.
With the game tied at six in the top of the 10th, Caleb Baragar got a groundout, strikeout, and pop out to leave the go ahead run stranded at third.
In the bottom of the inning with Jair Camargo the placed runner at second, Chris Williams laid down a sacrifice bunt moving the winning run to third. After an intentional walk of Rylan Bannon, Anthony Prato on a two strike pitch lined a walk-off single into right-center giving the Saints their third walk-off win of the season and just their second extra inning win in eight tries.
The Saints trailed by five, 6-1, entering the seventh inning and offense came to life. Patrick Winkel led off the inning with a double to center. Anthony Prato followed by reaching on a fielding error from third baseman Jorbit Vivas putting runners at first at second. Eeles drew a walk loading the bases. Castillo then drilled a home run into left, his first career grand slam and seventh home run of the season, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
In the bottom of the eighth the Saints tied the game. Pinch hitter Rylan Bannon led off with an infield single to the pitcher. He was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a passed ball on strike three to Diego Castillo knotting the game at six.
Eeles looked like he gave the Saints a 1-0 lead, leading off the bottom of the first as he circled the bases after a home run was called. After the umpires got together, they ruled the ball hit off the top of the padding and was sent back to second. Saints manager Toby Gardenhire came out and argued and was tossed for the second time this season. Castillo singled to center moving Eeles to third. A sacrifice fly from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. gave the Saints a 1-0 lead.
With two outs and nobody on in the second the RailRiders tied the game at one. Taylor Trammell doubled to right and scored on a single by J.C. Escarra.
The RailRiders grabbed the lead in the third as Kevin Smith led off the inning with a double to right-center. After a wild pitch moved Smith to third and a strikeout of Caleb Durbin, Jasson Dominguez hit a ground ball to second with the infield drawn in, but the throw home was late as Smith slid in safely giving the RailRiders a 2-1 lead. With two outs T.J. Rumfield walked putting runners at first and second. Carlos Narvaez made it 3-1 with an RBI single to left.
Escarra drew a leadoff walk for the RailRiders in the fourth, moved to third on a single by Greg Allen, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Smith increasing the lead to 4-1.
The RailRiders added to their lead in the sixth grabbing two more runs. With one out Trammell singled to right, stole second and took third on the throwing error by catcher Patrick Winkel, and scored on a single by Escarra making it 5-1. A wild pitch sent Escarra sent him to second and a two-out single by Smith scored Escarra increasing the lead to 6-1.
Hobie Harris and Baragar, who earned the win, each threw 2.0 shutout innings of relief.
The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Caleb Boushley (9-5, 4.73) to the mound against RailRiders LHP Edgar Barclay (5-9, 6.15).
(info courtesy of Saints)
