Saints Blow Four-Run Lead In Seventh, Lose 9-8 On Walk-Off Three-Run Homer In Game One Of Doubleheader

COLUMBUS, OH (September 5, 2021) - Not even a four-run lead was safe for the St. Paul Saints on this roadtrip. They carried an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader against the Columbus Clippers. The Saints gave up five runs in the inning, including a walk-off three-run homer as they lost for the fourth straight time 9-8 on Sunday evening.

With the Saints up four in the seventh, Ian Hamilton came on to finish it off. He walked the first two hitters of the inning. With one out Gabrial Arias doubled down the right field line scoring both runners to make it 8-6. Vinny Nittoli came on in relief and retired Oscar Gonzalez on a groundout. After walking Richie Palacios, Byran Lavastida hit a game winning three-run homer to right. It was the fourth walk-off loss in 11 games on the current roadtrip.

The teams traded crooked numbers in the first inning as the Saints got it rolling in the top of the half with a three spot. With one out Tomás Telis singled to left. Gilberto Celestino followed with a double putting runners at second and third. Jimmy Kerrigan made it 1-0 with a sacrifice fly. Back-to-back RBI singles from Drew Maggi and Damek Tomscha gave the Saints a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning the Clippers got a pair back. Steven Kwan led off with a single to left. Will Benson then walked and Arias brought them both home with a double to left-center making it 3-2.

The Clippers took the lead in the second when Kwan drilled a two-run homer to left-center, his second at Triple-A, putting the Clippers up 4-3.

In the fourth the Saints took the lead as Caleb Hamilton led off the inning hitting the first pitch for a solo homer, his first with the Saints, tying the game at four. JT Riddle followed with a double to center and Jose Miranda knocked him in with a single to center putting the Saints up 5-4. Miranda extended hit hitting streak to 14-games, tying the longest on the season by a Saints player, Telis.

The Saints added on to their lead in the fifth when BJ Boyd reached on a fielding error by the third baseman Andruw Monsasterio. With two outs Riddle hit a sinking liner to right that dropped in for a hit, but Gonzalez had the ball skip by him for a two base error allowing Boyd to score and increasing the lead to 6-4.

Telis continued his big game as he led off the inning with a triple to center. With one out Kerrigan doubled to right-center scoring Telis to make it 7-4 Saints. Telis finished the game 4-5 with a triple and two runs scored.

The Saints added what they figured was the nail in the coffin in the seventh. Boyd led off with an infield single. He stole second and advanced to third on the throwing error by Lavastida. Hamilton knocked him in with a bloop single into right making it 8-4.