ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kelly Dugan mashed two homers, but a go-ahead seventh inning home run from Brady Shoemaker keyed the St. Paul Saints as the Chicago Dogs dropped game three of the series, 7-6, on Monday night.
Carlos Zambrano was solid in his fourth start of the season, allowing four runs — although only one was earned — on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout over five innings of work.
The Dogs got on the board in a swift and powerful way, as Dugan launched a grand slam in the top of the first to make it 4-0 Chicago.
St. Paul answered right back with a big fly of their own, a three-run homer off the bat of John Silviano to cut the deficit to one.
Mike Aiello then ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to knot the game at four.
Dugan, who finished the night with six RBI, answered right back with a towering two-run bomb in the top of the fifth, his second dinger of the game and sixth of the season, to put Chicago back on top 6-4.
Casey Crosby came on in the top of the sixth and served up three strikeouts to hold the lead.
With two on and one out in the top of the seventh, Brady Shoemaker homered off of Rich Mascheri to give the Saints a 7-6 advantage.
After two more Saints reached in the frame, Kyle Halbohn entered and induced a groundout to limit the damage.
Halbohn then tossed a scoreless eighth inning to provide one last chance for the Dogs, but Tanner Kiest slammed the door to secure the win for St. Paul.
LHP Austin Wright (6-7, 4.09 ERA) will start the series finale tomorrow evening, with first pitch set for 7:05 PM.
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