7/22/2017-Saint Paul Saints 5 Salina Stockade 3

The St. Paul Saints did just enough on Saturday night at CHS Field to win their second consecutive game. Brady Shoemakers two-run homer was the difference and the bullpen locked it down at the end in a 5-3 victory over the Salina Stockade in front of 8,523. The win improved the Saints to 33-27 and are now within 1.0 game of first place in the North.

The Stockade jumped out in front 2-0 on Saints starter Ryan Zimmerman, using the long ball in the second to get on the board. Cody Coffman hit a solo homer to right, his eighth of the season, to make it 1-0.

In the fourth Coffman led off with a single to left-center and, with one out, Troy Paris doubled him home to make it 2-0. Zimmerman went 5.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits while walking three and striking out four.

The Saints offense used the middle three innings to do their damage tying the game up in the fourth. Three straight singles to center plated the first run as Tony Thomas, Kes Carter and Maxx Garrett, the latter knocking in the run, helped make it 2-1. With runners at first and second and nobody out Jon Kristoffersen sacrificed the runners over. Breland Almadova tied it at two with an RBI groundout.

In the fifth Shoemaker roped a double off the right-center field wall and, with one out, Nate Hansons single to center scored Shoemaker to give the Saints a 3-2 lead.

Shoemaker would come calling again in the sixth. Following a walk to Mitch Delfino, Shoemaker crushed a two-run homer to right, his 15th of the season, giving the Saints a 5-2 lead. Shoemaker finished 3-5, a triple shy of the cycle with two RBI and two runs scored.

In the seventh the Stockade got to within two on a solo home run from Jordan Caillouet, his seventh of the season, off of reliever Brandon Peterson.

Vinny Nittoli tossed the final 1.2 innings to earn his first save allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out four of the five recorded outs.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the three game series on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Mark Hamburger (9-2, 3.15) to the mound against Stockade LHP Troy Mannebach (1-2, 3.57). The first 2,000 fans in attendance receive a replica Pigs Eye Jersey presented by Regions Hospital. It is also Peanut Free Night. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and heard on Club 1220 KLBB.

This game was played on 7/22/2017 at CHS Field