A night after the Cleburne Railroaders lost a heartbreaker in 15-innings, the team clubbed 17-hits and battered the St. Paul Saints pitching staff in the 15-1 victory. Patrick Mincey allowed just one-run in 7-innings of work, and Mitch Glasser set single-game highs with 5-hits and 4-RBI to lead the onslaught.

This game got off to a good start for the Saints, as they took the lead in the top of the first inning. Danny Oh led off the game by drilling his third home run and second lead-off homer of the season to put St. Paul on top 1-0. It would all go downhill from there.

John Straka would start for St. Paul on three-days rest, and the Railroaders got to him right away. Maikol Gonzalez walked to start the frame and Devan Ahart reached on an error to put two on with no one out. Mitch Glasser then lined a double into the gap in center, plating Gonzalez and the game was tied. A ground out by Geraldo Valentin scored Ahart and Cleburne was on top.

In the bottom of the second, Cleburne added another run. Mike Blanke doubled to get the inning started. He moved to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch, and it was 3-1. Straka pitched well from there, keeping this a two-run game but, in the fifth, he finally wore down.

Gonzalez got the rally started with a walk and moved to second when Ahart followed with a base hit. Glasser then ripped a single into center that scored Gonzalez to extend the lead to three. A ground out moved both runners into scoring position, and Shawn Zarraga cleared the bases when he drilled his second homer of the season, a three-run shot, to make it 7-1.  Cleburne was in complete control of this game following the home run, and they were not done. Brandon Tierney doubled and moved to third on a base hit by Blanke. KC Huth followed with a sacrifice fly to score Tierney and the Railroaders led by seven.

Corey Williams relieved in the sixth, but it would not get better for St. Paul. For the third time, Gonzalez started a rally by leading off the frame with a walk. Ahart followed with a double, and Glasser drove them both home with a single. That made it 10-1.

In the seventh, Cleburne added two more runs. Tierney doubled to start the inning and scored with Huth doubled two batters later. Gonzalez drove him home with a base hit to make it 12-1.

The Railroaders were on a roll, and that would continue in the eighth. Glasser singled to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. Zarraga would score when Tierney blasted his first homer of the season. That made it 15-1.

While the Cleburne Railroaders were putting up a lot of runs, Patrick Mincey (2-0) was shutting the Saints offense down. He allowed 6-hits in 7-innings pitched, walking one and allowing 1-run. He struck out 6. Axel Johnson pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game.

Mitch Glasser finished 5-5 with 2-runs and 4-RBI for the Railroaders. Brandon Tierney, Maikol Gonzalez and Devan Ahart all scored 3-runs and Shawn Zarraga drove in 3. Tim Colwell was 3-4 and Danny Oh 2-3 with a run and an RBI for the St. Paul Saints.

These two teams continue their four-game set tomorrow. First pitch is 7:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier