After the St. Paul Saints saw John Straka’s contract purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays organization, the team was looking for a boost, and that came when right-hander Jeff Shields returned from Mexico. Shields had won 13-games for St. Paul in 2015, and his return was a real shot in the arm for the club. The Saints starter looked really good Sunday evening through the first four-innings, but a nine-run fifth doomed him and the team, as the Sioux Falls Canaries prevailed 11-4.

The Saints took the lead in the bottom of the first when they got a run off Canaries starter Dylan Thompson. Brady Burzynski singled to start the frame and moved to second when Bryson Myles was hit by a pitch. Tony Thomas laid down a bunt to move both runners into scoring position and Dan Johnson followed with a single that scored Burzynski to make it 1-0.

Sioux Falls got that run back right away in the top of the second. Shields retired the first two hitters of the inning, but Cameron Monger kept the frame alive when he doubled to center. B.J. Guinn then followed with a double of his own to bring in Monger to make it 1-1.

The Saints retook the lead in the home half of the second. Tony Caldwell singled to start the inning and Aaron Gretz followed with a single to right that moved Caldwell to third. Gretz was caught trying to extend the hit into a double, putting the runner at third with one out. Two batters later Sam Maus hit a sacrifice fly that scored Caldwell and it was 2-1.

It would stay that way until the fifth, when the Sioux Falls Canaries took command of this game. Aaron Owen was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Ethan Chapman singled two batters later to put runners at first and second with one out. Next up was Darwin Perez, who lined a single into right field that scored Owen to tie the game. A fielder’s choice brought Chapman across the plate, giving the Canaries their first lead of the game, a lead they would not relinquish. J.C. Linares then walked to put two on with two outs, bringing David Bergin to the plate. The Canaries first baseman got ahead in the count 2-1, then drilled his 14th homerun of the year to make it 6-2. Monger was the next batter and he, too, went yard for his eighth homer of the year.

The Canaries had taken a commanding lead in this game, but they were not done. Guinn doubled and scored when Owen singled up the middle. Michael Falsetti then walked and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. They both would score when Chapman singled to center. That made the score 10-2.  The nine-run inning saw 13-men come to the plate.

The Saints got one of those runs back in the home half of the fifth. Burzynski singled to start the inning and was replaced on the base paths by Alonzo Harris. Harris moved to third on a double by Myles and he scored when Johnson grounded out. That made it 10-3.

In the seventh both teams would score a run. Back-to-back doubles by Falsetti and Chapman made it 11-3. The Saints got a run when Myles doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Thomas.

Thompson pitched 7-quality innings, allowing 9-hits, 4-runs, 3-earned, and a walk. He struck out 4. Shields fell to 2-2.

Chapman was 3-5 with a run and 3-RBI. Four Sioux Falls Canaries players had two-hits in the game, including Bergin, who drove in 3. Johnson was 2-5 with 2-RBI for the Saints.

The St. Paul Saints head to Winnipeg to play a four-game set, plus finish a suspended game. Monday they will begin with the conclusion of the 3-0 affair that was started on July 20. Mark Hamburger is expected to continue in that game.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier