The American Association’s most heated rivalry renewed Friday night, as the St. Paul Saints traveled to Winnipeg to take on the Goldeyes. Thanks to a season high 17-hits pounded out by the Saints, led by a perfect four-hit night by Anthony Gallas, the Saints won 8-5. Dustin Crenshaw won his first game since rejoining St. Paul and the Saints dealt Kevin McGovern his first loss of the season.

The Goldeyes took the lead in the bottom of the first. Josh Romanski singled with one down, stole second, and advanced on the overthrow.  A wild pitch brought Romanski home to make it 1-0.

The Saints responded right away in the top of the second. Brady Shoemaker singled and Gallas followed with a double into right-center field. Shoemaker tried to score, but a great relay from David Rohm to Mason Katz to Alixon Suarez nailed Shoemaker at the plate and kept Winnipeg on top. Following a walk to Tony Thomas, Tim Colwell doubled into left-center, scoring Gallas to tie the game.

In the fourth, the Saints took the lead. Gallas and Thomas started the inning with back-to-back singles. Colwell laid down a sacrifice that moved both runners into scoring position. Maxx Garrett hit a ball to right field that Rohm could not reach. Both Gallas and Thomas had to wait to see if the ball would drop in and, when it did, Gallas raced home to score with Thomas moving to third. Tanner Vavra followed with a single that scored Thomas. The throw into the infield was misplayed by Katz, allowing Garrett to score to make it 4-1.

The Goldeyes would pull back within two in the bottom half of the inning, when David Bergin clubbed his sixth homer of the season over the left field wall. That made it 4-2.

Winnipeg made this a one-run game in the fifth. Wes Darvill walked to begin the frame and moved to second on a base hit by Rohm. Suarez laid down a perfect sacrifice that moved both runners into scoring position and Darvill came home on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Sohn.

Clinging to a one-run lead, the Saints extended their lead back to three in the seventh. Following a walk to Shoemaker, Gallas lined a double to the wall in left. This time Shoemaker would score to make it 5-3. Garrett delivered a clutch two-out double that brought home Gallas to make it 6-3.

The Goldeyes responded right away in the bottom half of the inning. Romanski singled with two down and Bergin followed by hitting the first pitch he saw for his second home run of the game and seventh of the season. That made it 6-5.

The St. Paul Saints responded with a run in the top of eighth. Danny Oh was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Breeland Almadova attempted to bunt him over but took a ball off the hand and was replaced by Brady Burzynski. Burzynski laid the bunt down to move Oh to second and he scored on a single by Gallas. That made it 7-5.

In the ninth, the Saints added one more insurance run. Garrett delivered his third hit of the game and moved to second on a single by Vavra. Two batters later, Burzynski singled into center, scoring Garrett to make it 8-5. Seth Rosin came on in the bottom half of the inning and closed the game out for his fifth save of the season.

Anthony Gallas finished 4-4 with 3-runs and 2-RBI. Maxx Garrett was 3-5 with 2-runs and 2-RBI. For Winnipeg, David Bergin was 2-5 with 2-runs, 2 HRs, and 3-RBI. Josh Romanski was 3-5 with 2-runs scored.

Game 2 of this series is Saturday. John Straka (2-3, 6.35) for the St. Paul Saints. He will be opposed by Zach Nuding (1-3, 7.39). First pitch is 6:00.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier