Saints Suffer Record-Breaking Loss After Historic Winning StreakSaints Suffer Record-Breaking Loss After Historic Winning Streak The St. Paul Saints’ remarkable winning streak came to a crushing halt on Sunday at CHS Field, as they set an unenviable team record for points allowed in a game. After extending their streak to a franchise-best 11 games on Saturday, the Saints were humbled by the Toledo Mud Hens with a 20-9 defeat. Starting pitcher Louie Varland endured a disastrous outing, surrendering 12 runs (11 earned) in just 2 1/3 innings. The Mud Hens punished Varland with 11 hits, including five home runs. “Sometimes you get run away, sometimes you give up a hundred rides. We have given up a hundred,” said Saints manager Toby Gardenhire. Varland declined to speak to reporters after the game, visibly shaken by his poor performance. Gardenhire expressed sympathy for his pitcher, acknowledging the emotional toll of such a setback. “It’s not easy for these guys. This is their job, this is what they live for,” Gardenhire said. Pitching coach Pete Larson defended Varland’s location, suggesting that the Mud Hens simply capitalized on his mistakes. “They made the best of it today. They came out swinging and didn’t really miss,” Larson said. The Mud Hens wreaked havoc in the first four innings, scoring three runs in the first, five in the second, four in the third, and seven in the fourth. Burnsville native Aaron Rozek, called up from Double-A Wichita, replaced Varland and allowed six runs in 1 1/3 innings. Despite the setback, the Saints remain optimistic about their upcoming road trip. “We got some guys healthy, we got some guys back,” Gardenhire said. “It was fun. You don’t get many streaks when you win 11 games in a row.” The Saints will hope to regroup and string together some wins on their final road trip of the season, aiming to avoid a complete derailment of their momentum.
The Saints continued to make history at CHS Field on Sunday, but this time it was a record they could do without.
After extending their winning streak to a franchise-best 11 games on Saturday, the Saints set a team mark for points allowed in a game in a 20-9 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens.
“They always end on a funny note,” Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said of the winning streak. “You never know how things are going to turn out. Sometimes you get run away, sometimes you give up
a hundred rides. We have given up a hundred.”
Saints starting pitcher Louie Varland had a miserable afternoon, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) in 2 1/3 innings. The Mud Hens hit him for 11 hits, including five home runs.
After giving up all three runs in the first inning on a pair of home runs, Varland was given a reprieve when the Saints scored five times in their half of the inning. But Varland gave up two more home runs in the Mud Hens’ five-run second.
Varland declined to speak to reporters after the game.
“I don’t have anything for you today,” he said as he left the clubhouse. “Too emotional.”
Gardenhire wasn’t surprised.
“Anytime you have a start like that — for someone like Louie, who has been so good — you’re going to be emotional,” Gardenhire said. “It’s not easy for these guys. This is their job, this is what they live for.
“You only pitch once a week, and when you go out and have a tough game like this, it’s going to be tough.”
Saints pitching coach Pete Larson said Varland’s location of his pitches wasn’t an issue.
“He threw strikes, he was ahead of the guys,” Larson said. “They made the best of it today. They came out swinging and didn’t really miss.”
Gardenhire added: “Everyone faces a tough challenge every now and then. They were on pretty much everything he threw. We were hoping he would last a few innings and finish on a high note, but that just didn’t happen.”
Varland made his first start since two solid performances with the Twins, which made Sunday’s performance all the more surprising.
“It was great to see him have success there,” Larson said. “He needed that after the difficult start he had at the beginning of the year. And everything he worked on here, he put over there, and it was executed well.
“So we’ll adjust the game plan and move on next week.”
The Mud Hens did most of their damage in the first four innings, scoring three in the first, five in the second, four in the third and seven in the fourth. They quickly put an end to any thoughts the Saints had about a second straight six-game series.
But the Saints left for their final road trip eager to string some wins together, and they probably exceeded their own expectations by winning 11 straight.
“We got some guys healthy, we got some guys back,” Gardenhire said. “And we have some guys who can swing the bat well. It was fun. You don’t get many streaks when you win 11 games in a row.
“But we were going full speed for a long time – pretty much the entire road trip in Louisville and then all the way home until today. Everything was great. Hopefully one match
as if this won’t be a complete setback.
Short
Burnsville native Aaron Rozek, just called up from Double-A Wichita, replaced Varland and gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings of work. … Second baseman Edouard Julien, who has struggled offensively since being dismissed by the Twins, reached base five times, with three walks, a double and a single.
