Record-Setting Inning Propels Saints, 16-7
SIOUX FALLS, SD (July 14, 2020) – The last time the St. Paul Saints faced Mitchell Lambson he threw a two-hit shutout against them at CHS Field. That prompted a player’s only meeting, a 17-3 stretch run, and an eventual championship. On Tuesday night at Sioux Falls Stadium the outcome was far different as they knocked out the 2019 American Association Pitcher of the Year in the fourth inning. The Saints recorded a franchise record 10 hits in the inning and scored 10 runs as they defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes 16-9 in their first “home” win of the season.
With the Saints down 4-1 in the fourth the Saints sent 15 men to the plate and it started with a Chris Chinea double to right-center. Josh Allen drew a walk and Max Murphy followed with a sinking liner to center that Darnell Sweeney dove for and came up empty as two runs scored on the triple making it 4-3. A wild pitch scored Murphy tying the score at four. JC Millan gave the Saints the lead for good with a solo homer to right, his first of the season, making it 5-4. Mitch Ghelfi then doubled to left and moved to third on an infield single by Mikey Reynolds. With two outs Chesny Young made it 7-4 with a two-run double to right-center. Chinea collected his second double of the inning scoring Young to make it 8-4. An infield single to third by Josh Allen scored Chinea making it 9-4 and chasing Lambson. Dylan Rheault came on in relief and Murphy hit a grounder to short that Darvill made a poor throw to first on for an error as Allen took third. Back-to-back RBI singles by John Silviano and Millan gave the Saints an 11-4 lead. Lambson went 3.2 innings allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on 11 hits. The 10 runs allowed were a career hight. The 10 hits in the inning surpassed the nine hits the Saints collected on May 27, 2004 vs. Winnipeg and June 12, 2007 vs. Lincoln.
The Saints put the game away with five more in the sixth as Murphy led off with a single and scored on a double by Silviano upping the lead to 12-4. An error by third baseman Eric Wood allowed Millan to reach and Ghelfi followed with an RBI single making it 13-4. Two batters later Nate Samson’s RBI groundout made it 14-4 and Young followed with a two-run homer to right, his first of the season, making it 16-4.
Eight of the nine hitters collected a hit, with all eight having a multi-hit night, eight of nine having an RBI and eight of nine scoring a run. Chinea finished with a franchise record tying three doubles, becoming the 20th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. The last player to do it was Murphy on July 6, 2019 at Winnipeg.
The same two teams meet in the second game of the three game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Eddie Medina (0-1, 6.55) against RHP Frank Duncan (1-1, 7.45). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM and seen at aabaseball.tv.
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by Sean Aronson, St. Paul Saints