Edouard Julien continues to work hard in order to regain his swing from a year ago. On Tuesday night he homered off a changeup, drove in four runs, but it wasn’t enough as the St. Paul Saints fell to the top team in the International League, the Columbus Clippers, 7-4 at CHS Field in front of 7,257.
The Clippers sent nine men to the plate in the first inning and scored four runs. Will Brennan led off the game with a single to right-center. With one out Kyle Manzardo singled to right putting runners at first and second. Brennan stole third and scored on a single to center by Jhonathan Rodriguez making it 1-0. After a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners, George Valera made it 3-0 with a two-run double to right. Miles Straw increased the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single to right-center.
In the third, the Clippers added two more runs. With one out Valera reached on an infield single off the glove of pitcher Ryan Jensen. With two outs, Valera stole second and scored on a double down the right field line by Bryan Lavastida increasing the lead to 5-0. Raynel Delgado made it 6-0 with an RBI double off the wall in center.
Manzardo put the Clippers up 7-0 with a solo homer to right in the fourth, his 15th of the season.
The Saints offense couldn’t do anything against Clippers starter Doug Nikhazy. Their best opportunity came in the second when DaShawn Keirsey Jr. led off with a triple to right-center and Rylan Bannon followed with a walk. Nikhazy would get the next three hitters on a strikeout, foul out, and groundout. Nikhazy allowed one more base runner, a one out single to Alex Isola in the fifth, before departing with two outs in the sixth.
The Saints finally got on the board in the seventh against Major League rehabber, and Mounds View High graduate, Sam Hentges. With one out Bannon was hit by a pitch. Wynton Bernard extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single to left. With two outs Anthony Prato was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Edouard Julien drew a walk, extending his on base streak to 32 games, making it 7-1.
In the ninth, the Saints made it interesting. With one out Isola walked and Anthony Prato doubled him to third. Julien then took a change up and drilled it over the center field wall, his sixth of the season, getting the Saints to within 7-4. Payton Eeles followed with a single to center, but Yunior Severino struck out and Jair Camargo was robbed of a hit on a sliding catch by the right fielder Brennan to end the game.
Major League rehabber Kyle Farmer went 0-4.
The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday afternoon at 1:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-2, 3.40) to the mound against Clippers LHP Matthew Boyd (0-0, 2.45).
(info courtesy of Saints Baseball)
