Saints Offense Tax IronPigs Pitchers For First Home Win, 9-7

ST. PAUL, MN (April 15, 2026) - The six home losses to start the season were the most in the International League since 2023. The St. Paul Saints wanted no part of tying Indianapolis’ string of seven straight that year. Their offense made sure they got in the win column, roping 13 hits, five extra-base hits, and working eight walks in a 9-7 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Wednesday night at CHS Field in front of 2,946.

Emmanuel Rodriguez got things started for the Saints in the second with a one out walk. He took second on a single from Orlando Arcia and scored on a two out double down the first base line putting the Saints up 1-0.

John Klein retired the first eight men he faced for the Saints including fanning five in a row, the final two outs in the first and the side in the second. The first baserunner he allowed left the ballpark with two outs in the third as Óscar Mercado got him for a solo homer, his first of the season, tying the game at one.

Rodriguez grabbed the lead back for the Saints in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back singles to start the inning by Kaelen Culpepper and Alan Roden put runners at first and second. After a double play ground out moved Culpepper to third, Rodriguez drilled an RBI double to left-center putting the Saints up 2-1.

A second long ball gave the IronPigs the lead in the fourth. With one out Bryan De La Cruz singled to center and that was followed by a two-run homer from Felix Reyes, his fourth of the season, giving the IronPigs a 3-2 lead.

The runs came fast and furious in the fourth for the Saints. With one out Schobel singled to right and with two outs Walker Jenkins was hit by a pitch. Culpepper drilled a two-run double to right-center putting the Saints up 4-3. Culpepper finished the night 3-5 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Alan Roden made it 5-3 with an RBI single to left. On the first pitch of his at bat Gabby Gonzalez crushed a two-run homer to left, his third of the season, increasing the lead to 7-3.

The Saints didn’t need a hit to score a run in the fifth. With one out, three straight walks to the bottom three in the order loaded the bases and Jenkins knocked in a run with a tapper in front of the plate where the lone out was recorded at first giving the Saints an 8-3 lead.

Back-to-back doubles to start the sixth by De La Cruz and Reyes got a run back for the IronPigs cutting the lead to 8-4.

Walks came back to bite the Saints in the seventh. Dan Altavilla walked the first two hitters of the inning before being removed for Marco Raya. After getting a ground out, De La Cruz unloaded on one to left, a three-run homer his fourth of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 8-7.

Rodriguez gave the Saints some breathing room the eighth with a 401-foot solo blast to right-center, his third of the season, making it 9-7. Rodriguez went 2-3 with a double, home run, two RBI, and two runs scored.

Drew Smith closed it out in the ninth for his first save of the season. After giving up back-to-back singles to start the inning, he retired the final three, including two on strikeouts.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at CHS Field on Thursday night at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send LHP Connor Prielipp (0-0, 2.53) to the mound against IronPigs RHP Alan Rangel (2-0, 1.08). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network presented by Northland Ford Dealers, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MLB+, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus 96.7 FM.