Eddie Medina Silences Dogs in Opening Contest, 4-0
Early on in the 2019 season the St. Paul Saints pitchers have been at the top of their game. In game one of a doubleheader, on Wednesday, Eddie Medina showed why he was the ace of the staff last season tossing 6.0 shutout innings as the Saints blanked the Chicago Dogs 4-0 at CHS Field.
Medina worked out of two jams in the second and third innings. In the second, the Dogs loaded the bases with two outs as Keon Barnum singled to right, Tony Roselli reached on a slow tapper down the third base line and Jordan Dean walked. Medina, however, got Larry Balkwill to fly out to end the inning.
In the third, David Olmeda-Barrera led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout from Edwin Arroyo. Trey Vavra followed with a walk, but Medina struck out Kelly Dugan and Victor Roache to end the inning.
Medina then locked it down from there retiring 10 in a row before walking Roche with two outs in the sixth. He fanned Barnum for the final out of his day going 6.0 shutout innings allowing three hits while walking three and striking out six.
The Saints got him all the offense he would need in the third when Dan Motl singled to right-center. He went to third on a two base throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Austin Wright. Josh Allen’s sacrifice lineout gave the Saints a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth the Saints scored their most runs in any inning putting up a three spot. Burt Reynolds led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on the throwing error by the catcher Balkwill. Blake Schmit’s RBI double made it 2-0 Saints. Schmit then stole third and Jeremy Martinez walked. After a pitching change brought in reliever Brandon Shimo, Joey Wong’s tapper back to the mound scored Schmit to make it 3-0. Motl then singled putting runners at the corners. Allen hit a grounder to short, but Dean’s throw to second pulled the second baseman Arroyo off the bag allowing Martinez to score giving the Saints a 4-0 lead.
by Sean Aronson