Saints beat Sioux City to take 2-0 lead in championship series

Michael Lang's two-out RBI double in the top of the ninth inning broke a tie as the St. Paul Saints beat the host Sioux City Explorers 3-2 on Thursday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American Association championship series. The next three games are in St. Paul.

Chris Baker led off the ninth by being hit by pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice. After a strikeout, Lang doubled to left.

Saints reliever Tanner Kiest walked two hitters in the bottom of the ninth but ended the threat by getting a double play and a strikeout.

The Saints trailed 2-0 after four innings before tying the game in the fifth on an run-scoring single by Baker and an RBI double by Lang.

Saints starter Eddie Medina gave up two runs and struck out nine in six innings.

This is the first time in franchise history the Saints have won the first two games of the finals on the road. The only other time they won the first two games in the playoffs on the road was the Divisional Series in 2007 against the Lincoln Saltdogs, a series they swept.

The teams are off on Friday and Game 3 is set for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday at CHS Field in St. Paul. The Saints send RHP Ryan Zimmerman (7-3, 4.16, 0-0, 0.00) against Explorers RHP Taylor Jordan (6-10, 4.49, 0-0, 1.42). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.