No Comeback For Saints As They Drop Contest To Mets 6-2

ST. PAUL, MN (September 10, 2026) - There would be no dramatic comeback for the St. Paul Saints on Thursday night. After coming back from four run deficits in each of the first two games, the Syracuse Mets bullpen finally silenced the Saints bats in a 6-2 loss at CHS Field in front of 7,067. By virtue of the loss, the Saints are 3.0 games out of the lone second half playoff spot with just nine games remaining.

For the third consecutive night the Mets got on the board first. D’Andre Smith led off the game with a double to right-center, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a MJ Melendez groundout making it 1-0.

For the first time in the series the Saints took a lead during the game. Kala’i Rosario led off the second with a single to left and with one out Jake Rucker walked. Tanner Schobel knocked them both home with a two-run double to right-center putting the Saints up 2-1. It was the last time the Saints had a runner in scoring position until the ninth.

The lead didn’t last long because the first two hitters for the Mets in the third gave them the lead back. Nick Lorusso walked and Kevin Parada followed with a two-run homer to left, his second of the season, pushing the Mets to a 3-2 lead.

With two outs and nobody on in the fourth back-to-back doubles by Eric Wagaman and Ryan Clifford put the Mets up 4-2. Larusso followed with an RBI single to left upping the lead to 5-2.

For the fourth time in five inning the Mets pushed across a run. With one out back-to-back walks to Émilien Pitre and MJ Melendez put runners at first and second. With two outs Vidal Bruján knocked home a run with a single to left raising the lead to 6-2.

For the third straight night the Saints bullpen was strong going 5.1 innings allowing one run and striking out seven. C.J. Culpepper and Alejandro Hidalgo each tossed 2.0 shutout innings giving up two hits. Culpepper struck out one while Hidalgo fanned four.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at CHS Field at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send LHP Aaron Rozek (3-5, 3.84) to the mound and the Mets are TBA. The game can be seen on FOX 9+, MLB.TV, MiLB.com, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, all presented by Northland Ford Dealers.