FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (July 1, 2017)
Contact: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Eight innings of three-run ball from Charle Rosario and three hits from Colin Willis led the Gary SouthShore RailCats to a 4-3 win over the St. Paul Saints on Saturday night in front of 8,289 fans at CHS Field. Gary is now 5-3 during their longest road stretch of the season and has a chance to win their season-high fourth straight series on Sunday evening in the rubber game.
 
John Holland gave Gary their first run of the series with a two-out RBI single to right-center in the top of the second. Ryan Fitzgerald reached on a two-out double right before Holland brought him home for the first run of the game.

Gary (23-19) extended their lead to 3-0 with two more two-out runs in the top of the third. Reggie Wilson and Willis started the inning with back-to-back one-out singles. Two batters later, Andy De Jesus drew a walk to load the bases. James Alfonso followed with a two-run single through the left side, plating both Wilson and Willis.

The RailCats tacked on another run in the top fifth to go up by four. Willis led off the inning with his second double of the night off the right field wall before Frank Martinez increased Gary’s lead with an RBI single to center. Martinez’s RBI single also increased his personal-best hitting streak to 11 games.

St. Paul (27-14) ended Rosario’s shutout on Kes Carter’s three-run homer over the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth. Carter, who signed with St. Paul earlier on Saturday, cut Gary’s lead to one in his second at-bat of the year with the Saints.
 
Rosario allowed back-to-back singles to Nate Hanson and Brady Shoemaker to begin the bottom of the ninth, however, Drasen Johnson retired the next three batters in the save to secure the win. Johnson (3) struck out Anthony Gallas and Tony Thomas before getting Carter to flyout to Wilson in left to end the game.

Rosario (5-3) recorded his third consecutive win and first career win against St. Paul in the middle game of the series. Rosario allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out eight while not walking anyone. Rosario struck out the first five batters he faced and retired 12 of the first 13 hitters of the game. 
 
Willis finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored to lead the offense. Cameron Newell reached base three times and finished with two hits for the second straight game.
 
Gary concludes their season-high nine-game road trip on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. against the St. Paul Saints. Southpaw Alex Gunn (2-3, 3.14) opposes Saints right-hander John Straka (3-4, 5.56) in the series finale from CHS Field.
  
Gary returns home to U.S. Steel Yard on Monday, July 3rd for the start of a seven-game homestand. Monday’s game vs. Fargo-Moorhead is at 7:10 p.m. and is another MetroPCS Monday. Monday’s series opener against the RedHawks is also the inaugural Fourth of Juluau Pig Roast, presented by Berey Bros., and features Fireworks and Barefoot Hawaiian Fire Dancers.
  
Jared Shlensky and Austin Anderson bring you all 100 RailCats games this season on WEFM (95.9FM) and online at railcatsbaseball.com. Fans can purchase tickets for RailCats home games by calling (219) 882-BALL or online at railcatsbaseball.com. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.