How the Turn Tables, Saints Win Back-To-Back Games At Huntington Park For First Time In Franchise History, 8-7 In 11

COLUMBUS, OH (April 30, 2025) - Even a one-run comeback victory at Huntington Park should be celebrated for the St. Paul Saints. For that matter, any win in general should be celebrated. The Saints have one of the lowest winning percentages by any Minor League team in any ballpark over the last five years at Huntington Park at .292. They trailed 4-0 after three innings and came back to win 8-7 in 11 innings to win back-to-back games over the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park for the first time in the same season in franchise history. The four-run comeback win was the largest comeback victory over the Clippers at Huntington Park.

With the game tied at six going into the 10th the teams traded runs with Mike Ford singling home the placed runner for the Saints and Milan Tolentino doubling home the placed runner for the Clippers.

In the 11th, with the placed runner Jair Camargo at third and two outs Ryan Fitzgerald laid down a bunt that was pushed passed the mound on the right side for an RBI infield single giving the Saints an 8-7 lead.

In the bottom of the inning Anthony Misiewicz did the job to secure the win. He got Yordys Valdes to ground out to third. Will Brennan flew out to third that moved the placed runner, Petey Halpin, to third. The cleanup hitter Jonathan Rodriguez ripped a 105 mph grounder to third, but Armando Alvarez who started the game at second, but moved to third after the ninth inning when Major League rehabber Royce Lewis departed, fielded it cleanly and threw across to finish off the game.

The Clippers struck first in the first. Halpin led off with a double to right-center and with one out scored on a single to left-center by Brennan making it 1-0.

Three more scored in the second for the Clippers. Dom Nuñez led off with a double to right and moved to third on a single to right by Micah Pries. With one out Christian Cairo walked to load the bases. With two outs Valdes dropped a two-run single into right-center giving the Clippers a 3-0 lead. With runners at the corners the Clippers pulled off a double steal with Cairo swiping home for a 4-0 lead.

After the first nine men were retired by Major League rehabber Slade Cicconi, Fitzgerald led off the fourth with a double down the right field line. With one out Jeferson Morales walked and Cicconi departed for reliever Tanner Burns. Carson McCusker greeted him with an RBI single into left-center cutting the deficit to 4-1. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Alvarez looped a two-run single into right-center getting the Saints to within 4-3.

The teams traded solo homers in the fifth when Ford drove one over the right field wall for the Saints, his fifth of the season and second in as many games, tying the game at four. In the bottom of the inning C.J. Kayfus hit his first Triple-A homer, giving the Clippers a 5-4 lead.

A bizarre sixth inning saw the Saints take the lead only for the Clippers to tie it in the bottom of the inning. With one out the Saints loaded the bases on a Patrick Winkel double and back-to-back walks to Anthony Prato and Fitzgerald. Lewis then hit a fly ball that landed in front of center fielder Petey Halpin, but Winkel went back to third thinking it would be caught. Halpin came up throwing and got the force out at home. Lewis finished the night 0-5. Morales followed with an RBI single to short tying the game at five. A walk to McCusker gave the Saints a 6-5 lead and gave McCusker the franchise record for most RBI by the end of April with 23.

Major League rehabber Michael Tonkin came on for the Saints in the eighth. Back-to-back bunt singles by Halpin and Valdes put runners at first and second. With one out Rodriguez lined an RBI single into center tying the game at six. Tonkin went 2.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out two. He threw 36 pitches, 20 for strikes.

The same two teams meet in a doubleheader, games three and four of the seven-game series, on Thursday afternoon at Huntington Park with game one beginning at 11:05 a.m. (CT). Both games are scheduled for seven innings with game two beginning approximately 30-minutes at the conclusion of game one. In game one the Saints send RHP Cory Lewis (1-1, 9.00) to the mound against Clippers RHP Trenton Denholm (0-1, 8.10). In game two the Saints send RHP Marco Raya (0-1, 8.00) to the mound against Clippers LHP Will Dion (0-2, 4.96). Both games can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.