*COURTESY ST. PAUL SAINTS MEDIA RELATIONS*
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Aug. 2, 2016) – The best and brightest of the American Association and Can-Am League descended upon CHS Field for the All-Star Game presented by CHS. The North jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back defeating the South 6-1 in front of 8,015. David Rohm of the Winnipeg Goldeyes was named the MVP of the All-Star Game.
Saints starter Mark Hamburger got things started in the first inning, but ran into a little trouble giving up back-to-back singles to Wichita’s Harrison Kain and Rockland’s Junior Arrojo to put runners at first and third with nobody out. Hamburger was locked in after that getting Texas’ Burt Reynolds to strikeout, New Jersey’s Art Charles to fly out to shallow center and Denis Phipps to fly out to right for a scoreless first.
In the bottom of the inning Laredo’s Ryan Beckman walked St. Paul’s Alonzo Harris to start the game and Sioux City’s Nate Samson singled him to third. A walk to Fargo-Moorhead’s Keury De La Cruz loaded the bases for Monday night’s home run derby champion Curt Smith of Lincoln. He was hit by a pitch that forced in a run to give the North a 1-0 lead. Beckman struck out the next two hitters, but David Rohm of Winnipeg roped a two-run double to left to make it 3-0.
The North’s Tyler Alexander of Fargo-Moorhead and Gary’s Charle Rosario each tossed scoreless innings, giving up one hit while Alexander struck out two, in the second and third inning.
The South got great relief from two Ottawa hurlers, Austin Chrismon and Daniel Cordero who threw perfect second and third innings, respectively.
Lincoln’s Lindsey Caughel, second in the American Association in ERA tossed a hitless fourth and the North tacked on a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The hard throwing reliever for Laredo, Jose Nivar, walked Willie Cabrera of Winnipeg and Rohm singled him to third. Rohm went 2-4 with a double, two RBI and a stolen base. With one out Gary’s catcher Jose Gonzalez made it 4-0 with an RBI single. Two batters later Samson made it 5-0 with an RBI single. Samson went 2-4 with an RBI, run scored and a stolen base.
Both teams traded goose eggs in the fifth with Colton Reavis of Fargo-Moorhead pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts while Quebec’s Jon Fitzsimmons allowed one hit while walking one and striking out one.
The South got on the board in the sixth against Sioux City’s Rob Wort. Reynolds singled to right and Charles singled him to second. Phipps’ hard smash for a single off the glove of third baseman Josh Mazzola loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Devon Rodriguez of Texas singled to center to bring home a run and make it 5-1. Wort got out of the inning when he got Brian Bistagne of Texas to hit a tapper in front of the plate that Luis Alen grabbed and touched home for the force out. Zane Chavez of Laredo popped out to end the inning.
Lee Sosa of New Jersey tossed a scoreless bottom of the sixth allowing one hit and striking out one.
In the seventh both sides put up zeros as Kansas City closer Mark Haynes pitched a perfect inning of relief. Luis De La Cruz of Laredo got the first two outs for the South in the bottom of the inning, before Jeff Inman of Laredo got Mazzola to strike out to end the inning.
In the eighth Connor Overton of Sioux City gave up a one out infield single to Phipps, but got Daniel Mateo of Trois Rivieres to fly out and struck out Rodriguez to end the inning.
The North scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth. Inman faced one batter and struck out Fargo-Moorhead’s Kes Carter. Frank Reed of Wichita then got Rohm to fly out to deep right-center for the second out. Getting all the pitchers a little work, Joplin’s Victor Capellan was brought on to finish the inning. Sioux Falls’ Blake Schmit doubled and scored on a double by Alen to make it 6-1.
St. Paul Saints closer Ryan Rodebaugh pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one to end the game.
Hamburger was credited with the win while Beckman took the loss.