Saints Blast Three Homers, Win Home Finale 6-5
ST. PAUL, MN (September 13, 2026) - The power was non-existent through the first five games of the series against the Syracuse Mets. On Sunday, the St. Paul Saints showcased what has made them so successful throughout the season. They blasted three home runs, accounting for all their runs, in
ST. PAUL, MN (September 13, 2026) - The power was non-existent through the first five games of the series against the Syracuse Mets. On Sunday, the St. Paul Saints showcased what has made them so successful throughout the season. They blasted three home runs, accounting for all their runs, in a 6-5 win over the Mets in the home finale on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 6,210.
Kendry Rojas made his first appearance in three weeks, coming off the injured list from his oblique injury. He didn’t look like he missed a step, facing the minimum in his 2.0 hitless, shutout innings, while walking one, and striking out one.
For the first time in the series neither team scored in the first two innings, but the Mets made it a clean sweep of being the first team to score in all six games when they scored two in the third. With one out Ryan Clifford tripled high off the wall in right-center and that was followed by a two-run homer to left from Hayden Senger, his 12th of the season, making it 2-0.
Walks hurt the Saints in the third as the first two men reached on a free pass. Eric Wagaman’s check swing single down the first base line scored MJ Melendez and as Matt Wallner’s threw to second, Vidal Bruján raced around from third, doubling the lead to 4-0.
The long ball got the Saints back in the game and eventually the lead. Kala’i Rosario got it started in the fourth with a solo homer to left-center, his first of the game and 10th of the season, making it 4-1. Rosario became the 13th Saints player with double-digit home runs on the season, most in baseball.
Two more home runs put the Saints on top in the fifth. Jake Rucker led off with a walk. With one out Ben Ross was hit by a pitch. Aaron Sabato then hit a three-run homer just inside the right field pole, his 25th of the season, tying the game at four. His 25 home runs overtake Matt Wallner for the most in a Triple-A single-season in franchise history. Wallner followed that with a walk and two batters later Rosario delivered his second long ball of the game, a two-run shot to right-center, his 11th of the season, putting the Saints up 6-4. Rosario went 2-4 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored.
The final four Saints pitchers were incredible as Paulshawn Pasqualotto, 2.0 perfect innings and four strikeouts, Eric Orze, 1.0 perfect inning and two strikeouts, Marco Raya, 1.0 perfect inning and one strikeout, and Matt Bowman, retired 16 in a row. The only thing that broke that up was former Twins prospect Billy Amick hitting a two out ninth inning solo homer over the batter’s eye, his eighth of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 6-5. Bowman got Clifford to ground out to end the game and pick up his fifth save of the season.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night to take on the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Germán Márquez (1-3, 5.09) to the mound against Clippers LHP Logan Allen (6-4, 4.65). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.