Saints blow another late lead in loss to Buffalo

Pioneer Press
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Saints blow another late lead in loss to Buffalo
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For the third time in four games this week, the Saints surrendered a late lead to lose in Buffalo on Friday. This time, Nathan Lukes’ leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th scored the courtesy runner for a 5-4 walk-off victory at Sahlen Field.

John Andreoli tied the game 3-3 with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and leadoff hitter Spencer Steer followed with a solo shot to put the Saints up, 4-3. It stayed that way until the eighth when the Blue Jays tied the game 4-4 on a two-out single by Jordan Groshans off reliever Yennier Cano.

Saints starter Cole Sands gave up three runs on three hits. He walked none and struck out six. All three runs were unearned after Buffalo’s Nick Podkul reached base, and drove in a run, on a two-out fielding error by third baseman Jermaine Palacios. Podkul and LJ Talley then scored on a single to center by Chavez Young to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead in the second inning.

The Saints blew eighth- and ninth-inning leads, respectively, in the first two games of this six-game series against the International League East leaders before winning on Thursday, 7-1.

Ian Hamilton (1-1), who entered the game with a 0.96 earned-run average in 15 appearances, took the loss when Lukes singled to right to score Young from second base.

The Saints went down 1-2-3 in their half of the inning against Graham Spraker (1-2), who earned the victory with 1⅔ scoreless innings of relief.

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