Illness, home runs make it a long night for Saints
Enmanuel Valdez hit the second-longest home run in baseball this season as the Indians raced to an early lead and beat the Saints, 7-5, at Victory Field in Indianapolis. All of the Indians’ runs were scored on home runs. Valdez, who played 31 games for the Pirates last season,hit a two-run home run that was measured to have traveled 466 feet to center field to give Indianapolis a 3-0, third-inning lead in the opener of a six game series.
Top Twins prospect Walker Jenkins hit his first home run with the Saints, a solo shot to start the fourth and cut the Saints’ deficit to 3-1, and two-run homers by Kyler Fedko and Gabby Gonzalez in the fifth inning cut a 6-1 deficit to 6-5, but that was as close as the shorthanded Saints got. Because of a bug going through the Saints clubhouse, manager Brian Dinkelman had to revise his starting lineup a few times before the opening pitch. The teams resume the series at 5:05 p.
m. Tuesday. Right-hander Andrew Bash (0-1, 4.
41) is scheduled to start for the Saints against Indianapolis left-hander Hunter Barco (0-0, 7. 71). Related Articles Two top pitching prospects join Twins; Royce Lewis returns Twins place starter Mick Abel on injured list with elbow inflammation Reds come back late for second straight day to sweep Twins Funderburks set to welcome first child after Alicia’s cancer diagnosis during pregnancy Saints’ 3-game winning streak comes to an end