ST. PAUL, MN (September 3, 2020) – It’s becoming an all too familiar situation for the St. Paul Saints: fall behind early, try to come back, but don’t have quite enough to get over the hump. On Thursday night at CHS Field the Saints gave up five in the first and fell behind by six after two, losing 10-5 to the Milwaukee Milkmen. The loss drops the Saints to 26-28 and they remain 2.5 games out of a playoff spot with six games to go.

The Milkmen sent 10 men to the plate in the first and scored five runs off of Saints starter Ryan Zimmerman. On the first pitch of the game Brett Vertigan drilled a solo homer to right, his first of the season, making it 1-0. With one out, Adam Brett Walker singled to right and Jose Sermo walked. David Washington singled to right and Walker scored when Max Murphy had the ball go off the heel of his glove to make it 2-0. Mason Davis followed with a walk to load the bases and Zach Nehrir walked to force in a run making it 3-0. Christian Correa finished the scoring with a two-run single to center putting the Milkmen up 5-0.

With two outs in the second Jose Sermo sent one over the wall in center, his fifth of the year, making it 6-0.

The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer of their own from Alonzo Harris, his sixth of the season, cutting the deficit to 6-1.

In the third the Saints got to within three as Chesny Young doubled and, with one out, Mikey Reynolds sent one over the left field wall, his sixth of the season, making it 6-3.

In the fourth the Milkmen chased Zimmerman when Dylan Tice hit a two-out solo homer to right, his fourth of the season, making it 7-3. Zimmerman went 4.0 innings allowing seven runs on six hits while walking four and striking out three.

The Saints responded in the sixth with their third home run of the game, tied for the most this season. Harris led off with a walk and, with one out, John Silviano lined a shot over the left field wall, his 11^th of the season, cutting the deficit to 7-5.

Unfortunately, the Milkmen put up three in the seventh to put the game away. Sermo led off with a walk and Washington singled him to second. Davis followed with a two-run double, making it 9-5, and advanced to third on Nate Samson’s throwing error to the plate. With one out Correa’s sacrifice fly gave the Milkmen a five run lead.

The Saints begin a three-game series at CHS Field where they are the visiting team against the Winnipeg Goldeyes. The first game of the series is Friday night at 7:05 p.m. and the Saints send RHP Matt Solter (4-3, 3.31) to the mound against Goldeyes RHP Josh Lucas (0-0, 0.00). The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, streamed at aabaseball.tv, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

Boxscore

by Sean Aronson, St. Paul Saints