Friday night’s game was easier for Saints fans to witness than Thursday’s was, but the outcome remained the same as St. Paul fell 7-4 at Iowa.
A two-run single by Gabriel Gonzalez followed an run-scoring single by Hendry Mendez to give the visiting Saints a 3-0 lead after one inning. However, the I-Cubs roared back for four runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead they did not relinquish.
Iowa went on to score three more runs over the fourth and fifth frames to put the game out of reach before David Banuelos scored for St. Paul on a wild pitch in the seventh. Banuelos was the final runner to cross home plate for either side as the eighth and ninth passed without further incident.
Mendez and Gonzalez each went 2 for 4 to account for four of the Saints’ five total hits in the game. Ben Ross logged a single for the other St. Paul hit.
Saints starter Ty Langenberg (3-4) took the loss after allowing six earned runs on six hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings of work. He struck out four I-Cubs batters.
It was the third consecutive loss for St. Paul (49-40) after winning the series opener against Iowa (38-50) on Tuesday.
The teams take the field at Principal Park in Des Moines again at 6:08 p.m. Saturday. John Klein (1-3, 6.39 ERA) takes to the mound for the Saints against a yet-to-be-announced I-Cubs starter.
