No Place Like Home, Saints Smash Three Homers In 8-3 Takedown Of Mud Hens

ST. PAUL, MN (August 25, 2026) - After two weeks on the road, the St. Paul Saints were happy to be home in the friendly confines of CHS Field. The power they showcased in their last series carried over on Tuesday night as they cracked three more homers, got solid pitching, and defeated the Toledo Mud Hens 8-3 in front of 6,883. The Saints improved to 31-21 in the second half, tied for second place and 1.0 game back of the lone playoff spot, and 73-53 overall.

After hitting a franchise record 22 homers in their last series at Columbus, the Saints picked up right where they left off in the first inning. Walker Jenkins led off with a walk and Ben Ross destroyed a two-run homer to left, his 15^th with the Saints and his career-high 20^th of the season, making it 2-0. With two outs Aaron Sabato singled to left and that was followed by a two-run opposite field homer to left by Hendry Mendez, his eighth of the season, doubling the lead to 4-0.

Trent Baker, who has moved from the bullpen to the starting role, was solid. He retired the first six hitters he faced before giving up a run in the third. The bottom of the Mud Hens set up the top of the order in the third to get on the board. With one on and a runner at first, number nine hitter Max Burt doubled off the wall in center putting runners at second and third. Cal Stevenson’s RBI groundout cutting the Saints lead to 4-1.

A defensive miscue cost the Saints a run in the fourth. Max Anderson led off the inning with a double to right and with one out moved to third on an infield single to second by John Peck. Baker’s pickoff throw to first was dropped by Aaron Sabato and trickled away from him, allowing Anderson to score getting the Mud Hens to within 4-2.

David Bañuelos got that run back in the bottom of the inning with a two-out solo homer to left, his sixth of the season, putting the Saints back up 5-2.

Jack Anderson, who got out of an inherited bases loaded jam in the fourth, and his own bases loaded jam in the fifth, gave up his lone run in the seventh. With two outs and nobody on in the top of the seventh Josue Briceño singled off the wall in right and Peck followed with a double off the wall in right putting runners at second and third. After a pitching change, Marco Raya spiked a 2-2 curveball that skipped off Bañuelos and caromed away allowing Briceño to score getting the Mud Hens to 5-3. Anderson went 3.0 innings of relief allowing one run on four hits while walking one and striking out two.

For the first time in the game the Saints scored runs without the long ball. With one out Jenkins reached on an infield single to short. With two outs Emmanuel Rodriguez singled to right and Matt Wallner walked loading the bases. Sabato then drilled a two-run single to center, upping the lead to 7-3.

The final run scored by the Saints was due to heads up baserunning in the eighth. Tristan Gray led off with a single to right-center and Cody Morissette followed with a single to center putting runners at first and second. With one out, Gray saw the third baseman playing well off the line and took advantage by stealing third. That proved huge as he scored on a passed ball increasing the lead to 8-3.

Marco Raya tossed 1.1 hitless, shutout innings of relief and struck out three while Julian Merryweather pitched a perfect ninth on six pitches, all strikes, while striking out one.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send LHP Aaron Rozek (3-3, 3.94) to the mound against Mud Hens LHP Austin Gomber (2-9, 5.59). 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.