Milkmen Homers Sinks Saints, 7-3
SIOUX FALLS, SD (July 19, 2020) – When you play in Sioux Falls Stadium you’re going to hit plenty of home runs, but you’re going to give up plenty of long balls too. The Saints came in tied for first in the league in hitting home runs, but were also tops in home runs allowed. On Sunday evening they hit two more, but also gave up three and fell in the rubber game of the three-game series to the Milwaukee Milkmen 7-3.
The Saints, who have given up 11 first inning runs, gave up two more on Sunday as Brett Vertigan led off with a single to right and went to second when Max Murphy mishandled the ball. Dylan Tice grounded out sending Vertigan to third and Mason Davis’ groundout scored Vertigan giving the Milkmen a 1-0 lead. David Washington then hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot to right making it 2-0.
In the third, the Milkmen doubled their lead when Dylan Tice doubled with two outs. Mason Davis followed with a two-run home run to right, his second of the season, giving the Milkmen a 4-0 lead.
The Saints got on the board in the fifth when Troy Alexander was hit by a pitch and Justin Byrd followed with a two-run homer to right, his first of the season, making it 4-2.
The Milkmen answered right back in the top of the sixth and got their third home run of the night. Mason Davis led off the inning with a double to left and Washington clubbed his second homer of the game, and third of the season, with a two-run opposite field homer to left making it 6-2. Zach Nehrir was then hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single from Adam Brett Walker. With one out, Christian Correa’s sacrifice fly put the Milkmen up by five.
The Saints tried to mount a comeback in the ninth when Max Murphy led off with a solo homer to left, his first of the season. Troy Alexander then doubled, but AJ Schugel retired the final three batters to end the game.
The Saints have Monday off and begin a three-game series at Sioux Falls Stadium against the Sioux Falls Canaries, who will be the home team, on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Both teams are TBA. Fans can tune in to the game on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
By Sean Aronson, St. Paul Saints
