St. Paul, Minn. -- The St. Paul Saints had no shortage of offense on Thursday night as they routed the Sioux Falls Canaries 15-1 thanks to multiple big performances.
Saints strike early and often
The scoring got started in the bottom of the first when Brady Burzynski led off with an infield single. He advanced to second when Tony Thomas walked, and scored when Nate Hanson cleared the bases with a double to right field to put the Saints up 2-0.
The Saints added two more runs in the third when Breland Almadova led off with a single to center field. After he stole second base, Dan Johnson stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run home run to right field to make it a 4-0 lead.
In the fourth, the Saints were right back at it, as Tanner Vavra led off with a single. After Burzynski struck out, Almadova hit a double to left field to set up Thomas for a two-RBI single. Johnson followed with a walk, which was followed by Hanson hitting a three-run home run to right field to extend the lead to 9-0.
St. Paul added two more in the fifth when Burzynski drew a one-out walk. He scored when Almadova tripled to right-center field to make it 10-0. Almadova scored a few pitches later on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 11 runs.
The Saints tacked on four more in the sixth thanks to a three-run home run from newcomer Bryson Myles and a RBI double from Thomas to make it 15-0.
Sioux Falls gets a run in the seventh
The Canaries did get a run in the seventh inning when Blake Schmit led off with a walk. He came around to score when J.C. Linares doubled to left field to get the Canaries on the board, but it was all they would get, as starter Eric Veglahn went eight innings, giving up just the one run on three hits while striking out five batters. John Straka came in and threw a perfect ninth to end the game.
Quick Hits
- Hanson went 3-4 with two doubles, a home run, and five runs batted in in his first game back from a brief absence after his wife had a baby. "That was big," manager George Tsamis said after the game. "For him to come out in his first game back was big for him, and he played great."
- One notable absence from the lineup was center fielder Alonzo Harris, but Tsamis brushed off the absence after the game, saying "I don't remember when the last time was that he had an off day, so I decided to give him one now before the stretch run."
- Straka, who is normally a starter, made his first relief appearance since 2013, and did well, as he retired the three batters he faced. Tsamis explained the move after the game, saying "It was just his normal bullpen, he's gonna pitch the second game on Monday in Winnipeg, and we wanted to get him some work in."
- The two teams will play game two of the series on Friday night, as the Saints will send RHP Robert Coe (8-2, 4.88) to the mound, while the Canaries will counter with RHP Ray Hanson (0-4, 8.48).
Winning pitcher: Eric Veglahn (3-3)
Losing pitcher: Stephen Bougher (1-7)
Player of the game: Nate Hanson (STP) went 3-4 with a home run and two doubles in his first game back.