Saints Squander Multiple Chances With Runners In Scoring Position, Fall 11-7

ST. PAUL, MN (May 16, 2026) - The St. Paul Saints were never retired in order. They had a man in scoring position in every inning. The leadoff man reached in four of the final innings. Despite all that, they finished 2-17 with runners in scoring position and dropped an 11-7 contest to the Columbus Clippers on Saturday afternoon at CHS Field.

Three batters into the game and the Clippers took a 2-0 lead. With one out Juan Brito walked and George Valera followed with a two-run homer to right, his third of the season.

Home runs have been a big part of the Saints game this year, leading all of baseball in that category. They slugged two in the second inning to take the lead. With one out Ben Ross walked and Aaron Sabato slugged a two-run homer to left-center, his eighth of the season, tying the game at two. Tanner Schobel followed with a single and with two outs Kaelen Culpepper singled to center. Hendry Mendez delivered his first Triple-A home run, a three-run blast to center putting the Saints up 5-2.

The long ball rued its ugly head again against the Saints in the third inning to tie the game. With one out Brito walked. With two outs Nolan Jones doubled down the first base line, putting runners at second and third. Cooper Ingle delivered a three-run homer to right, his sixth of the season, tying the game at five.

In the bottom of the inning the Saints answered with one out as Gabby Gonzalez tripled to right-center. With the infield in, Ross hit a ground ball to short as Gonzalez broke on a contact play and the throw home was off line allowing him to score giving the Saints a 6-5 lead.

As was the case with their first five runs, a home run produced a run for the Clippers. Angel Genao tied the game up with a solo homer to right, third of the season, knotting the game at six. Kody Huff followed with a single to left-center, stole second, and scored on a two-out single to right-center by Brito putting the Clippers back up 7-6.

The Clippers added an insurance run in the sixth when Dayan Frias doubled into right with one out, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Kahlil Watson increasing the lead to 8-6.

A walk haunted the Saints in the eighth as Huff drew a free pass with one out and scored on a two-out double from Watson giving the Clippers a 9-6 lead.

The Saints got the run back in the bottom of the inning, but wasted a larger opportunity. David Bañuelos led off with a single to center and with one out Mendez walked and Kyler Fedko singled to left loading the bases. The Saints managed just one run, however, on a two-out walk to Gonzalez making it 9-7. Gonzalez finished a triple shy of the cycle going 3-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Clippers pushed their lead to four in the ninth when Ingle walked with one out and advanced to third on a double from Stuart Fairchild. A throwing error on Bañuelos on a back pick at third allowed a run to score. That was followed by an RBI single from Genao giving the Clippers an 11-7 lead.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field at 2:07 p.m. The Saints send Major League rehabber, RHP Taj Bradley (NR) to the mound against Clippers LHP Ryan Webb (0-4, 9.55). The game can be seen on the CW Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MLB+, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.