That loud sound heard from CHS Field on Thursday night was the powerful swing of Aaron Sabato. It was also the sigh of relief from the St. Paul Saints as their seven-game losing streak came to an end. Jose Miranda came to life, Sabato connected on his first Triple-A home run, and Trent Baker got his first Triple-A win as the Saints took down the Toledo Mud Hens 8-2 in front of 5,615.
Andrew Morris started for the Saints and racked up the strikeouts, but a couple of walks came back to bite him. After snapping their string of allowing runs in the first inning at six on Wednesday, the Saints gave up a first inning run on Thursday. With one out Hao-Yu Lee walked and Justyn-Henry Malloy doubled him home giving the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead.
Another one out walk hurt the Saints in the second. Akil Baddoo drew the free pass, stole second, and scored on a bloop single to left by Gage Workman giving the Mud Hens a 2-0 lead. Morris went 4.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking four and punching out eight.
Once Major League rehabber Reese Olson left the game with two outs in the fourth, the Saints offense came alive. Miranda greeted Beau Brieske with a solo homer to left-center, his third of the season, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Payton Eeles then ripped a double to left, moved to third on a single to left by Jeferson Morales, and scored on a single to right-center from Sabato, who picked up his first Triple-A RBI and tied the game at two.
All the pent up offensive struggles over the last week and a half exploded for the Saints in a six-run fifth. Three one out walks loaded the bases. After a pitching change, Miranda greeted his second straight pitcher with a big hit, a two-run double down the left field line putting the Saints up 4-2. Miranda finished the night 3-4, a triple shy of the cycle, with three RBI, and two runs scored. After the fourth walk of the inning loaded the bases, Sabato crushed a grand slam over the batter’s eye in centerfield giving the Saints an 8-2 lead. It was his first home run of the season at Triple-A and third career grand slam. Sabato became the 8th player in CHS Field history to homer over the batter’s eye, the sixth Saints player, and third Triple-A Saints player to accomplish the feat with his 426-foot blast. Sabato finished the night 2-4 with a grand slam, a career-tying high five RBI, and a run scored.
From there it was all Trent Baker. After not getting out of the first inning in his Triple-A debut on June 13, Baker piggybacked Morris and was spectacular. He tossed 4.0 shutout innings allowing three hits while walking two and striking out five while picking up his first Triple-A win.
The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m.
(info courtesy of Saints Baseball)
