Drew Gay was making just his fourth start of the season, but he showed that maybe he deserves a more regular turn in the rotation. The right-hander pitched 7-plus innings of shutout ball to lead the Saint Paul Saints to a 5-0 win over the Kansas City T-Bones.

Gay was solid from the start, allowing just three hits and two walks in 7.1 innings pitched. He also struck out six, and gave the Saints a second great performance from their starter in a row, following Nick Barnese seven inning, one run performance Monday night.

The game was a pitcher’s duel until the ninth inning. St. Paul got a run in the top of the second against Kansas City starter Kyle DeVore, and then relied on Gay to keep them in the lead. Evan Bigley was hit by a pitch to start out the second, and after stealing his 14th base of the year, Keith Brachold singled to center field to score Bigley. That wound up being all the runs that Gay would need.

In the eighth after Gay gave up the single, reliever Matt Meyer entered the game and promptly walked TJ Mittelstaedt on five pitches. Meyer’s night was over as well, and he was replaced by closer Dan Sattler. On a 2-2 pitch the Saints closer got Danny Richar to hit into the 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and keep the Saints on top 1-0. It would not remain that way for long however.

In the top of the ninth, the Saints would give Sattler all the cushion he could want. Brachold led off the inning with his third home run of the year to make it 2-0. One out later Joey Becker would reach on an error by Ray Sadler. After Dwight Childs hit into a force play that put him on first, Jared McDonald doubled to right field scoring Childs. One batter later Angelo Songco singled to score McDonald and the Saints were now leading 4-0.

Sattler would return to pitch in the ninth, and retired all three batters in the inning, striking out all of them. The 1.2 innings of work earned him his 17th save of the season, and continued a stretch where the closer has been just untouchable. Sattler has not given up an earned run in his last 13 appearances, and has yielded just one in his last 20. He is turning into the most dominant closer in the league, and may get that return to the Big Leagues yet.

While Sattler’s run is incredible, the night belonged to Gay. Of the 94 pitches he threw, 56 were for strikes, and he moved the Saints scoreless innings streak to 13 against Kansas City.

By Robert Pannier
Senior Baseball Editor
Member of the IBWAA