On a night where the Sioux City Explorers Patrick Johnson was also looking to win his American Association record tying 15th game, St. Paul Saints starter Kramer Sneed earned win No. 15 with seven outstanding innings to lead his club to a 4-1 victory. The win was the left-hander’s sixth in his last seven decisions, and he is making a strong case to be the Game 1 starter come playoff time.

Neither team was able to score in the first inning, but in the second the Saints were able to get a run against Gary Southshore RailCats starter Charle Rosario. Ian Gac led off the inning with a walk, but was replaced on the base paths by a fielder’s choice by Joey Paciorek. Nate Hanson was the next batter, and he doubled to the wall, scoring Paciorek to make it 1-0.

A fluky play allowed the RailCats to get the run right back in the top of the third. Jarred Mederos walked with one out and Brenna Metzger reached on catcher’s interference call where Paciorek’s glove was ruled to have interfered with the swing of Metzger and he was awarded first base. That was crucial because the next batter, Jose Sermo, singled to center field to score Mederos and the game was tied at one.

In the bottom of the fourth the St. Paul Saints retook the lead for good. Gac started another rally, this time singling to begin the inning. Paciorek followed with a single of his own and Hanson lined his second double of the game, scoring Gac to make it 2-1. Anthony Phillips grounded out scored Paciorek, and Alonzo Harris drove home Hanson with a drive down the left field line that hopped the fence for a ground rule double. That made it 4-1 and with the way that Sneed was pitching, that was plenty enough run support.

The left-hander allowed just two hits and a walk over the next four innings. Gary was unable to mount any kind of rally against Sneed (15-3). He left after pitching 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 walks, and 1 unearned run while striking out 3. His 15 wins ties the American Association record for most wins in a season. A record that could add another member to the 15 win list Friday night when teammate Dustin Crenshaw pitches.

In the eighth inning, right-hander Mike Zouzalik relieved for the Saints. He retired the side throwing just nine pitches, seven for strikes. Ryan Rodebaugh recorded the final three outs of the game for his 25th save of the season. That leads the American Association

Hanson finished 2-3 with a run and 2 RBI. Both hits were doubles. Paciorek was 1-4 with 2 runs scored. Harris stole his 37th base of the season, leaving him two away from becoming the St. Paul Saints single season record holder in that category.

Boxscore Provided by the American Association

By Robert Pannier