St. Paul Saints Manager George Tsamis has been looking for another starter to really round out his rotation, and it now appears like that guy he was looking for was just a few miles from CHS Field. St. Thomas University graduate Eric Veglahn blanked the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for seven innings Thursday night, leading his team to a 3-1 victory over their division rival, and extending the Saints lead in the North Division of the American Association to eight games.

Veglahn made in inauspicious first impression when he entered in the 12th inning against the Winnipeg Goldeyes and gave up two homeruns. Since then he had a solid outing against the Kansas City T-Bones, and Thursday night he looked absolutely dominant, yielding just three-hits in 7.2-innings for the first win of his professional career.

It helped that his team staked him to a lead in the top of the first inning. Alonzo Harris singled to start the game and moved to second on a sacrifice by Brady Burzynski. A ground out moved him to third, and Angelo Songco followed with a clutch two-out single to bring Harris home and give the St. Paul Saints the quick 1-0 lead.

Veglahn nursed that lead very carefully, completely stymying the RedHawks offense. He retired the first eight hitters of the game, seeing the streak end when Bryan Johns doubled with two outs in the third. That would be the only hit he would allow through the first seven innings. He did not walk a hitter and the only other batter to reach came on an error in the bottom of the seventh and he was thrown out trying to steal.

In the fifth, his offense would give him a little more cushion. Aaron Gretz singled with one out. Two batters later Burzynski singled to keep the inning alive, and Nate Hanson followed with a double that scored both runners to make it 3-0.

That would be all the offense that the Saints left-hander needed. He was simply brilliant as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks had no answers for him.

Into the eighth the game went. That is finally when the RedHawks would break through. Brian Humphries led off the inning and took the first pitch from Veglahn (1-2) for a homerun, his ninth of the season. He would retire the next two hitters and Tsamis would turn to Benji Waite. Waite gave up back-to-back singles, and the game was a lot more hairy, as the go-ahead run came to the plate.

Caleb Thielbar came on and was brilliant. He retired the final batter of the inning and then closed out the ninth for his second save of the season. The left-hander continues to look brilliant for the Saints, allowing runs in just two of his last 16 outings.

Harris finished 2-4 with 2-runs scored. Hanson drove in 2-runs. Humnphries was 2-4 with a run and an RBI for Fargo-Moorhead,

These two teams continue their four-game series Friday night. Dan Johnson will make his first start of the season for the St. Paul Saints. Tyler Alexander (6-3, 3.67) goes for the RedHawks. Game time is 7:02.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier