Last season, pitcher Benji Waite was a key member of the St. Paul Saints bullpen, helping to bridge the gap between the team’s starting staff and closer Ryan Rodebaugh. He was slated to take that spot this season as well, but injuries forced him to join the starting rotation. Friday night, making just his third start of the season, the right-hander dominated the Gary Southshore RailCats, allowing 7-hits and no-runs in tossing the first complete game of his career, and Danny Oh was a perfect 5-5 on the night with 6-RBI to lead the Saints to the 10-0 victory.

Benji Waite would find himself in command of this game from the very start. He retired six of the first seven batters he faced in the game, but it looked like the RailCats would get a run in the third. Kris Goodman led off the frame with a hit, then stole second and moved to third on an error. With one down and the runner at third, Cameron Newell grounded back to Waite who fired to first for the second out. Goodman attempt to come home on the play, but Saints first baseman Tony Thomas made a heads-up play, firing home to gun down the runner and end the threat.

In the top of the fourth, Gary Southshore got a walk and a double to put two runners in scoring position with just one down. Once again, the Saints starter came up big, getting back-to-back comebackers to the mound to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth, the RailCats would get back-to back-singles to lead off the frame. Those would be the last two to reach base, as Waite got a pop out and a double-play to end the inning, starting a run of 14 straight batters retired.

While Waite was dominating the Gary Southshore bats, his own offense was putting up big numbers. Braulio Torres-Perez started for the RailCats and he kept this is scoreless game through the first, but in the second St. Paul would score three-runs. Thomas led off the inning with a double and moved to third when Ben Buerkle beat out a ground ball for a single. Thomas rounded third attempting to score but was thrown out for the second out of the inning. It looked like St. Paul may come away with nothing, but Jon Kristoffersen walked, bringing Danny Oh to the plate. On a 1-1 pitch, he drilled a three-run homer over the left field wall to put the Saints on top.

An inning later, St. Paul would put five on the board to take a commanding lead in the game. Nate Hanson singled to start the inning and advanced on an error to move to second base. Brady Shoemaker then grounded into a fielder’s choice where Hanson was thrown out at third. Anthony Gallas followed with a double that scored Shoemaker all the way from first and the score was 4-0. Two batters later, Jack Goihl delivered a double that scored Gallas to extend the lead to five. Buerkle then walked before Kristoffersen loaded the bases with a single. Once again, Oh would deliver a huge hit, this time tripling into the gap in center, clearing the bases and extending the lead to eight.

In the fourth, Hanson led off the inning with his sixth home run of the season. That made the score 9-0.

In the seventh, they added their final run of the game. Kristoffersen doubled with one out and moved to third on a single by Oh. With two down, Hanson singled home Kristoffersen to make it 10-0, which would be the final score.

Benji Waite (2-0) tossed the first complete game of his professional career, allowing 7-hits and a walk. He struck out 2. It was an impressive 104-pitch performance.

Waite was not the only one having a good day. Danny Oh set single-game highs with 5-hits and 6-RBI. He also hit his fifth home run of the season. Nate Hanson was 4-5 with a run and 2-RBI. Four other Saints players had 2-hits in the game, including Tony Thomas, Jack Goihl, Ben Buerkle, and Jon Kristoffersen. Kristoffersen scored 3-runs. Cameron Newell and Kris Goodman had 2-hits apiece for Gary Southshore.

Game 2 of this three-game set is tomorrow evening. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier