Click here to subscribe today or Login.
A miserable second inning didn’t doom the RailRiders. Neither did a disheartening home run right after they had battled back to tie the game.
On a cold night that featured snow and sleet in the Twin Cities, the final blow didn’t come until the 11th inning as St. Paul’s Kyle Garlick connected for a three-run homer to stun Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 10-9 on Friday.
Garlick’s walk-off blast came just after former Saints catcher Jose Godoy had given the RailRiders a 9-7 lead in the top of the frame with his second home run of the night.
But reliever James Norwood and the defense couldn’t hold onto the lead. A walk was followed by a grounder to third that led to an out and a throwing error by Jamie Westbrook that put runners on second and third.
Garlick ended the game in the next at-bat, parking a 3-2 pitch from Norwood over the fence in left.
It was the last dip on a rollercoaster night for the RailRiders, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks in part to back-to-back homers from Westbrook and Andres Chaparro.
The Saints responded with a huge second inning, drawing two bases-loaded walks before Matt Wallner launched St. Paul’s second grand slam of the series, a blast that ended starter Mitch Spence’s night.
Godoy ultimately tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth with a solo blast before the Saints answered with a go-ahead homer in the home half from Andrew Stevenson.
Estevan Florial sent the game to extras with an RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning.