SIOUX CITY, IA(August 22, 2008) – For the second time this season the St. Paul Saints watched a team celebrate a division title as they lost to the Sioux City Explorers 9-0 on Friday night at Lewis and Clark Park. Coupled with the Lincoln Saltdogs 2-1 loss to the Wichita Wingnuts and the Explorers clinched the second half North Division Title.

 

            It was all Explorers and they started the scoring in the second when Chad Gabriel led off with a solo homer to right, his second of the season. Derek Schermerhorn followed with a single to center and after back-to-back sacrifices moved Schermerhorn to third, Alex Llanos drove him home with a single to right.

 

            The Explorers put the game away in the fifth with a four run inning. Gabriel led off with a triple to right-center that went over the leaping Ron Fenwick. Saints starter Lonnie Robinson walked back-to-back hitters to load the bases and then gave up a two-run double to Nick McCoola making it 4-0. Llanos and Walter Young each added sacrifice flies making it 6-0.

 

            Explorers starter Paige Dumont was sterling hurling 7.1 shutout innings allowing seven hits while walking two and striking out six. The Saints managed just two men to reach second through the first seven innings. They loaded the bases in the eighth getting two singles off of Dumont before he gave way to Matt Kretzschmar who gave up an infield single to Ben Thomas to load the bases. Kretzschmar got Ron Fenwick to strike out and Pichi Balet to fly out to center.

 

            Saints secondbaseman Steve Butler went 3-4 and also pitched 1.0 inning of relief allowing three runs on three hits. 

 

            The same two teams will meet in the Saints final game of the season on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park. The Saints will send LHP Mark Romanczuk (3-3, 3.79). The game can be heard on Relevant Radio 1330.