ST. PAUL, MN (July 22, 2010) – The good news is the St. Paul Saints took another series from a team from Texas. The bad news is they won’t face anymore teams from the southern state the rest of the season. On Thursday evening Gerard Haran came through with the go ahead homer as the Saints defeated the Fort Worth Cats 6-4 at Midway Stadium in front of 6,087.
With the Saints trailing 3-2 in the seventh inning Brandon Carter reached on a throwing error by the third baseman Cesar Suarez. Brent Krause walked putting runners at first and second. The two big boys Ole Sheldon and Jason Cooper, however, struck out. That left it up to Haran who had struck out in his previous three at bats. He took a hanging breaking ball and deposited it well over the left field wall for his 10th homer of the season giving the Saints a 5-3 lead.
The Cats answered back with a homer of their own in the top of the eighth inning off of reliever Jon Plefka. Kelley Gulledge led off with the solo shot over the left-center field wall, his sixth of the season and the first Plefka had given up this season.
The Saints offense got the insurance run back in the bottom of the inning. With one out Josh Petersen singled to left, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Steve Mays followed with a single to right moving Petersen to third. Carter’s sacrifice fly scored Petersen and that was enough for closer Matt Meyer who earned his fourth save of the season with a hitless ninth inning.
Saints left fielder Chad Gabriel produced two hits, a double and a triple and scored a run while starting pitcher Jason Godin earned his sixth win of the season going 7.0 innings allowing three runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out two.
The Saints head out on the road to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium for a three game series beginning Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Jake Schmidt (7-4, 3.96) to the mound against Wingnuts RHP Nick Singleton (6-3, 2.36). The game can be heard on Relevant Radio 1330.
