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St. Charles Saints 94-68 vs.
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| Game | Location | Results | Win | Loss | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Hannibal | Cannibals 9, Saints 4 | S.Strider(1-0) | A.Nola(0-1) | D.Bard(1) |
| HR – C.Morel(1) | |||||
| 2 | at Hannibal | Cannibals 3, Saints 1 | L.Lynn(1-0) | B.Singer(0-1) | D.Bard(2) |
| HR – None | 3 | at St. Charles | Cannibals 13, Saints 9 | A.Gomber(1-0) | J.Alvarado(0-1) | None |
| HR – J.Chisholm(1), B.Rodgers(1), T.Turner(1), JT.Realmuto(1), O.Albies(1), J.Soto(1) | |||||
| 4 | at St. Charles | Cannibals 6, Saints 3 | R.Hill(1-0) | Z.Eflin(0-1) | R.Helsley(1) |
| HR – JT.Realmuto(2), M.Olson(1), B.Nimmo(1), J.Profar(1), T.d’Arnaud(1), T.Anderson(1) | |||||
Hannibal wins series 4-0
Game 1 – Game One featured Spencer Strider facing off against Aaron Nola. The Saints got 2 baserunners on with one out in the top of the first, but the young Strider left them stranded. Hannibal almost scored in the bottom of the first after Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff double, but he was erased trying to advance on Matt Olson’s fly to deep center as Yonathan Daza nailed him at third. In the top of the 2nd, St. Charles got on the board as Tim Anderson’s sac fly plated Anthony Rizzo. It was a short-lived lead as Abraham Toro raked a 2-RBI single in the bottom half. The Cannibals chased Nola to the shower with 5 straight hits in the 3rd to take a 6-1 lead. Reynaldo Lopez took the mound and didn’t fair much better, giving up 3 more runs in the 4th and 5th innings on singles by Olson and Trea Turner and a double by Brendan Rodgers. The Saints got a dinger from Christopher Morel in the 6th. They started a rally in the top of the 9th with 3 singles and 2 walks that resulted in 2 runs, then Daniel Bard came in and forced Juan Soto to pop out to first base. Austin Riley, last year’s World Series MVP stepped to the plate with the bases full. Bard got up in the count with 0 balls and 2 strikes. Riley then connected on the next pitch and gave it a ride to left field. Jurickson Profar raced back, looked up, jumped and hauled it in. Hannibal takes the exciting game one, 9-4. Strider got the win, Nola the loss and Bard the save. Alfonso Rivas was the only Saint with more than one hit. Olson, Turner and Profar each had 3 hits as HAC totaled 18 hits and one walk.
Game 2 – Lance Lynn sat down the first 8 Saints’ hitters he faced. Then, St. Charles put together 3 straight singles, with Alonso Rivas’ plating Tim Anderson to put the visitors up 1-0. After Austin Riley’s error kept Hannibal’s 4th inning alive, Jurickson Profar doubled off the right center wall to tie the game. In the bottom of the 6th, Trea Turner singled up the middle, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch. Jazz Chisholm tacked on a 2-out RBI double to thrill the home town crowd at Busch Stadium with a 3-1 lead. That’s all Lynn would need as he was perfect his last 5 innings before yielding to Daniel Bard. Bard pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and Hannibal held serve, winning both their home games. Lynn earned the victory, pitching 8.0 innings, striking out 9, allowing only 3 hits and no walks. Brady Singer took the defeat.
Game 3 – The series heads back to Chicago with the defending SWBA Champs in desperate need of a win down 2 games to none to Hannibal. No score heading into the second inning when the Hannibals sent 12 batters to the plate unleashing on Saints’ starter Alek Manoah; scoring 6 runs on 4 hits, 4 walks, and 2 hit batsmen. In the 2nd inning shelling, Jazz Chisholm and Brendan Rodgers both went yard sending Manoah, and his 100 pitches thrown, to the showers after 1-2/3 IP. St. Charles gets back in the game after a 4-run bottom half of the third inning. Ozzie Albies’ 2-run homer in the bottom of the fifth pulls the Saints even at 6 runs a piece. The Cannibals take the lead for good in the top of the sixth scoring 5 runs off Saints’ reliever Jose Alvarado going up 11 to 6. Mild threats by the Saints in the 6th and 7th were not enough to keep up with the Cannibals. Hannibal wins 13 to 9 and takes a commanding 3 games to none series lead. Austin Gomber gets the win in relief for the Cannibals. The game MVP was Jazz Chisholm who went 3-5 with a double, home run and 3 RBI.
Game 4 – The Saints open the scoring in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs off Hannibal’s starter Rich Hill on back-to-back homers by Travis d’Arnaud and Tim Anderson. Matt Olsen’s solo knock off Saints’ starter Zach Elfin pulled Hannibal within one run trailing 2 to 1. Brandon Nimmo’s 2-run homer in the top of the 5th gave the Cannibals a 4 to 2 lead, which turned out to be all the runs their bullpen would need. Matt Bush, Edward Cabrera and Ryan Healsley, who earned the save, secured the win for the Cannibals 6 to 3. Rich Hill pitched a solid 6 innings for the win. Zach Eflin went 5 and 2/3 for the Saints in the loss. Hannibal wins the rematch of last year’s ALCS to advance to this year’s. The game MVP was Ryan Helsley.
