The Saints continued to make history on Sunday at CHS Field, only this time it was a record they could have done without.

After extending their winning streak to a franchise-best 11 games on Saturday, the Saints set a team mark for runs allowed in a game in a 20-9 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens.

“They always end funny,” Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said of the winning streak. “You never know how it is going to go. Sometimes you get walked off, sometimes you give up a
hundred runs. We gave up a hundred.”

Saints starting pitcher Louie Varland had a miserable afternoon, allowing 12 runs — 11 earned — in 2 1/3 innings. The Mud Hens touched him up for 11 hits, including five home runs.

After Varland gave up the three runs in the first inning on a pair of home runs, he was given a reprieve when the Saints scored five times in their half of the inning. But Varland gave up two more home runs in the Mud Hens’ five-run second.

Varland declined to speak with reporters after the game.

“I got nothing for you guys today,” he said as he left the clubhouse. “Too emotional.”

Gardenhire wasn’t surprised.

“Any time you have a start like that — for a guy like Louie, who has been so good — you’re going to be emotional,” Gardenhire said. “It’s not easy for these guys. This is their job, this is what they live to do.

“You’re only pitching once a week, and when you go out there and have a tough one like this, it’s going to be tough.”

Saints pitching coach Pete Larson said Varland’s location of his pitches was not an issue.

“He threw strikes, he got ahead of guys,” Larson said. “They got the better end of it today. They came out swinging and they didn’t really miss.”

Added Gardenhire: “Everybody’s due for a tough one once in a while. They were on just about everything he threw. We were hoping he could figure it out for a couple innings and end on a high note, but it just didn’t happen.”

Varland made his first start since having two solid outings with the Twins, which made Sunday’s performance all the more surprising.

“It was awesome to see him have success up there,” Larson said. “He needed that after the little bit of a rough start he had at the beginning of the year. And everything he’s been working on here, he threw up there, and it was well executed.

“So we’ll adjust on the game plan and move forward next week.”

The Mud Hens did most of their damage in the first four innings, scoring three in the first, five in the second, four in the third and seven in the fourth. They put a quick end to any thoughts the Saints had of sweeping a second straight six-game series.

But the Saints left for their last road trip eager to string some wins together, and they likely exceeded their own expectations by winning 11 in a row.

“We got some guys healthy, we got some guys back,” Gardenhire said. “And we’ve got some guys swinging the bat well. It was fun. You don’t get many streaks where you win 11 games in a row.

“But we were going on all cylinders for a long time — pretty much the whole road trip in Louisville and then the whole homestand until today. Everything was great. Hopefully, one game
like this won’t be a complete setback.”

Briefly

Burnsville native Aaron Rozek, just called up from Double-A Wichita, replaced Varland and surrendered six runs in 1 1/3 innings of work. … Second baseman Edouard Julien, who has struggled offensively since being sent down by the Twins, reached based five times, with three walks, a double and a single.

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