FRANKLIN, WI (July 12, 2020) – St. Paul Saints starter Ryan Zimmerman stood tall on the mound Sunday afternoon at Franklin Field against the Milwaukee Milkmen. After giving up two runs in the first, he allowed just two base runners over the next six innings and struck out a career tying high nine. That was big because the Saints needed a bases loaded bunt single by Justin Byrd to win the game as they took down the Milkmen 3-2.

With the game tied at two in the eighth the Saints got the winning run against former Saints reliever Karch Kowalczyk. With two outs and a runner at first Connor Justus walked. Mikey Reynolds followed with his third hit of the game, a line drive single to left that loaded the bases. That’s when Byrd dropped down a gutsy bunt that was perfectly placed down the third base line for an RBI single that proved to be the winning run.

Zimmerman was magnificent after the first. He allowed just two base runners, the only two runners the Milkmen would get after the first. He walked Adam Brett Walker to lead off the second, but retired the next three hitters.

Zimmerman retired nine in a row before a leadoff single by Logan Trowbridge in the fifth. The next hitter, Christ Conley, hit a sinking fly ball to right that Max Murphy made a running catch and then doubled off Trowbridge at first. Zimmerman retired the final eight batters he faced including striking out the side in the seventh. He went 7.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out nine.

Tanner Kiest, a former Milkmen who came over in a trade last season, pitched a perfect eighth and Jameson McGrane worked a perfect ninth for his third save of the season.

The teams traded two spots in the first. Mikey Reynolds led off the game with an infield single to short. With one out, Chris Chinea doubled him home making it 1-0. After John Silviano’s groundout moved Chinea to third, Josh Allen made it 2-0 with an RBI single to left-center.

The lead didn’t last long as the Milkmen tied it in the bottom of the inning. With one out Dylan Tice doubled and scored on a single by Mason Davis. David Washington then drilled an RBI double to right-center tying the game at two.

The Saints have Monday off and return to action on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. as they begin a three-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes in Sioux Falls. Both teams are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM and seen via aabaseball.tv.

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By Sean Aronson, St. Paul Saints