Jair Camargo created runs with his swing and his batting eye, driving in four in the St. Paul Saints’ 8-2 win over the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night at Principal Park in Des Moines.

Camargo broke open a tight game with a three-run home run off I-Cubs starter Brandon Birdsell in the sixth inning, and he drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. He finished 1 for 3 with four RBIs.

Birdsell and Saints starter Adam Plutko were locked in a pitcher’s duel through the first five innings. Birdsell allowed a first-inning run aided by a fielding error but then retired 11 straight batters before Rylan Bannon hit a double off him in the fifth. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in that inning by striking out DaShawn Keirsey Jr. for the final out.

In the sixth, Edouard Julien led off with a single, and Yunior Severino reached on a fielder’s choice that included a fielding error by second baseman Jake Hager allowing Julien to reach third base. Camargo followed with his ninth homer of the season to give the Saints a 4-0 lead.

Plutko continued his recent stretch of strong performances. He shut out the I-Cubs for the first six innings before giving up two in the seventh. He allowed two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, improving to 6-1 since joining the team in late May. He has won four of his last five starts, allowing nine runs over 28 2/3 innings in that span.

Keirsey went 3 for 5 with three runs, and Julien was 2 for 4.

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