ST. PAUL, Minn. – Aaron Sabato clubbed a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning as the St. Paul Saints defeated the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at CHS Field, 6-4. Esmerlyn Valdez hit a go-ahead solo homer in the ninth.
Indianapolis (25-37) entered the bottom of the 11th with a 4-3 lead. Matt Wallner led off with a double that plated the extra-innings automatic runner to tie the game, and Sabato followed with his 11th home run of the season that sailed over the left field wall to end the game.
In a 2-2 ninth-frame tie, Valdez crushed a ball deep into right-center field to take the lead. The Saints (33-28) rallied for a run to force extras before Sabato left the yard. Termarr Johnson singled home a run for another brief lead in the top of the 11th before St. Paul’s rally to win. Johnson and Billy Cook recorded multiple hits each.
Trent Baker (W, 3-2) worked both extra frames for the Saints. He was scoreless in the 10th and limited the Indians to just one run in the 11th. Jarod Bayless (L, 0-2) kept St. Paul off the board in the 10th, but he allowed the three runs in the 11th and took the loss.
The Indians and Saints wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field, first pitch is slated for 3:07 PM ET. Indy has not announced a starter while St. Paul will open the game with John Klein (1-1, 6.17).