Jenkins and Schobel Each Homer Twice, But Saints Drop Finale 8-5 To Clippers
COLUMBUS, OH (August 23, 2026) - For six days the St. Paul Saints and Columbus Clippers threw haymakers at each other. The pitching staffs were left battered and bruised. The Saints smashed four more home runs on Sunday, two each from Walker Jenkins and Tanner Schobel, but it wasn’t enough
COLUMBUS, OH (August 23, 2026) - For six days the St. Paul Saints and Columbus Clippers threw haymakers at each other. The pitching staffs were left battered and bruised. The Saints smashed four more home runs on Sunday, two each from Walker Jenkins and Tanner Schobel, but it wasn’t enough in an 8-5 loss on Sunday afternoon at Huntington Park.
The big difference in the game occurred in the first inning. For the fourth time in the series the Saints gave up at least five runs in an inning. With one out Daniel Schneeman walked and Kahlil Watson singled, putting runners at the corners. With two outs and runners at second and third, Ralphy Velazquez singled to right driving in a run making it 1-0. Kody Huff followed with an RBI double to left increasing the lead to 2-0. George Valera pushed the lead to 5-0 with a three-run homer down the right field line, his eighth of the season.
Schobel helped the Saints set a franchise record as he hit the first pitch of the third inning over the left field wall, his fourth of the season, getting the Saints to within 5-1. It was the 19th home run in the series for the Saints, most in any series in franchise history.
Walker Jenkins continued his torrid August as he led off the sixth inning with a solo homer to left, his 10th of the season, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Jenkins became the 11th Saints player with double-digit homers on the season, a new franchise record.
The Clippers responded in the home half of the sixth when Kody Huff singled to left and scored on Valera’s double to right-center pushing the lead back up to four at 6-2.
After not having a multi-homer game in his career, Jenkins did it for the third time in his last three games. Kala’i Rosario led off the seventh with a single to right-center and with two outs the Clippers made a pitching change to Carlos Hernández. Jenkins greeted him with a two-run blast to right, his 11th of the season, getting the Saints to withing 6-4. Jenkins finished the game 3-3 with two homers, with two homers, three RBI, a stolen base, two runs scored, and two walks.
As they did in the sixth, the Clippers responded with two of their own in the seventh. Milán Tolentino led it off with a double to right-center. Schneeman singled to right-center putting runners at the corners. With one out and runners at second and third, an RBI single by Kyle Manzardo and a sacrifice fly from Velazquez put the Clippers up 8-4.
In the ninth the Saints made a little noise. Schobel hit his second homer of the game, a one out solo blast to left, getting the Saints to within 8-5. Schobel finished 2-4 with two homers, two RBI, and two runs scored. Ian Daugherty followed with a single to center and Jenkins walked. Ben Ross then popped out. With the lefty Emmanuel Rodriguez coming to the plate, the Clippers countered with lefty Steven Pérez. On the second pitch of the at bat, Rodriguez flew out to center ending the game.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night in game one of a six-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Trent Baker (4-3, 5.11) to the mound and the Mud Hens are TBA. The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.com, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, all presented by Northland Ford Dealers.