Pitching Silences League's Highest Scoring Offense As Saints Defeat I-Cubs 3-1

ST. PAUL, MN (April 30, 2026) - It had happened only one other time in franchise history: collect two or fewer hits and win. The St. Paul Saints pitching staff quieted the International League’s highest scoring team, the Iowa Cubs, and despite collecting just two hits won 3-1 on Thursday night at CHS Field in front of 4,036.

Matt Bowman opened the game for the Saints and gave up two singles in the first, but with runners at first and second and two outs, got a fielder’s choice ground out to end the inning. He went 2.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out two.

Noah Cardenas got things started for the Saints in the third with a solo homer to left, his first of the season, making it 1-0.

Mike Paredes did the bulk work on the mound for the Saints. After giving up a leadoff double in the third, he got a line drive double play. That proved huge because Pedro Ramírez singled to center. That was the last hit allowed by Paredes. He retired 13 of the final 14 men he faced going 5.0 shutout innings allowing two hits while walking one and striking out four. He threw a career high number of pitches in relief with 68, 43 for strikes.

With one out in the fifth the Saints loaded the bases on a sharp single by Orlando Arcia off the body of shortstop Scott Kingery, a walk to Aaron Sabato, and a hit by pitch to Tanner Schobel. Cardenas followed with a walk forcing in a run giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. Kaelen Culpepper’s sacrifice fly increased the lead to 3-0.

The lone run the Saints allowed was unearned in the eighth. Raul Brito retired the first two hitters before James Triantos reached on a dribbler out in front of the plate. Ramírez then hit a pop up to second, but Arcia dropped it and the error put runners at the corners. Jonathan Long’s RBI single to left made it 3-1. Brito went 1.0 innings allowing an unearned run on two hits while striking out one.

Drew Smith closed it out in the ninth for his second save of the season.

The only other time the Saints won a game in collecting two or fewer hits was on September 30, 2021 when the Saints defeated the Toledo Mud Hens 2-0 at Fifth Third Field while collecting just two hits.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series at CHS Field on Friday night at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Brebbia (0-0, 3.95) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Connor Noland (2-2, 6.75). The game can be seen on FOX 9+, MLB.TV, MLB+, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.