Saints Win Ninth Straight On the Road, 9-7 Over I-Cubs

DES MOINES, IA (June 26, 2024) - The St. Paul Saints entered 2024 as one of the best home teams in all of Minor League Baseball since 2021. Their 128 wins were fourth most in that time. This season, they may be known as the Road Warriors. For the ninth consecutive time the Saints won away from CHS Field, a 9-7 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park. The Saints are now 2-0 in the second half and have won 13 of their last 14. The nine-game road winning streak is the longest in Triple-A this season.

It was a bullpen game for the Saints and Ryan Jensen got the start. He gave the Saints exactly what they needed for a couple of innings despite the I-Cubs getting on the board in the second. A leadoff triple down the first base line by Owen Caissie followed by a one out RBI double down the third base line by Bryce Windham gave the I-Cubs a 1-0 lead. Jensen went 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits and striking out two.

Just like Tuesday night, the Saints responded in their very next at bat. Edouard Julien led off the inning with a walk. Brooks Lee then hit a ground ball to first that skipped by Moises Ballesteros for a two base error that put runners at second and third. Matt Wallner tied the game with an RBI groundout to second and Yunior Severino followed with an RBI single to left-center giving the Saints a 2-1 lead.

A five-hit bottom of the third gave the I-Cubs the lead right back. Jack Reinheimer led off with a single to center. Hayden Contrelle then hit a ground ball to first, pitcher Hobie Harris lost the foot race to the bag putting runners at first and second. Cole Roederer ripped a two-run double to right putting the I-Cubs up 3-2. Three batters later B.J. Murray Jr. singled into center scoring Roederer making it 4-2.

Scott Blewett took over in the fourth and was solid in pitching a bulk of the innings. His only earned run came in the fourth when the t,he I-Cubs added to their lead. With one out Cantrelle singled to left, stole second, and with two outs scored on an RBI double by Moises Ballesteros increasing the lead to 5-2. Blewett went 3.2 innings allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits while walking one and striking out four.

Brooks Lee continued his torrid start to his season by delivering a one out homer to right in the fifth, his second in as many games and sixth of the season, getting the Saints to within 5-3. Matt Wallner doubled to right and Severino knocked him home with a single to center making it 5-4. Severino finished the day 3-4 with two RBI.

The Saints sent nine men to the plate in the sixth and regained the lead. They loaded the bases on a single to center by Will Holland, a walk to Patrick Winkel, and a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Prato in which he reached on an error by the first baseman Ballesteros. A walk to Julien forced in a run, tying the game at five. A Lee RBI groundout to short made it 6-5 Saints. After a strikeout and an intentional walk to load the bases, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hit a pop up that drifted away from the shortstop Reinheimer and fell to the ground for a two-run double increasing the lead to 8-5.

Two costly errors by the Saints defense got the I-Cubs within one. With one out Ballesteros singled to right. With two outs Caissie singled to center as Ballesteros took third. After a pitching change that brought in Josh Winder, Murray Jr. hit a one-hopper to first, but Severino had the ball go in and out of his glove as a run scored and Caissie went to third cutting the Saints lead to 8-6. The next hitter, Windham, hit a ground ball to third, but Prato’s throw to first was high and pulled Severino off the bag as the error allowed Caissie to score, making it 8-7.

The Saints added an insure run in the ninth without a hit. Holland led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a groundout, and took third on a groundout. Julien drew his third walk of the day putting runners at the corners. A wild pitch scored Holland giving the Saints a two-run cushion at 9-7.

In the bottom of the ninth, Winder gave up a leadoff single to Alexander Canario, but then retired the next three hitters to pick up his third save of the season as he went 2.1 shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out one.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at Principal Park on Thursday night at 6:38 p.m. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (6-4, 4.35) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Dan Straily (0-4, 5.16). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.