ST. PAUL, MN (May 17, 2026) - It looked like a repeat of Saturday afternoon’s game. The St. Paul Saints had the lead off man on in six of the first seven innings, had the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth, but couldn’t find a way to muster a big hit as they went 2-12 with runners in scoring position. They carried a one run lead into the eighth, but lost 3-2 to the Columbus Clippers on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 4,424.
The Saints loaded the bases in the first inning as Kyler Fedko led off with a walk, Gabby Gonzalez singled to right, and with one out Orlando Arcia walked. Matt Wallner’s sacrifice fly gave the Saints a 1-0 lead.
Major League rehabber Taj Bradley cruised through the first inning, retiring the side in order on 11 pitches, but ran into pitch count problems in the second. Bradley’s day ended in the second inning as the first three runners reached in the inning on a Nolan Jones single to right, a walk to George Valera, and a bloop single to left by Angel Genao. After a strikeout, Bradley walked Dayan Frias to force in a run tying the game at one. After a strikeout to Maick Collado, Bradley reached 31 pitches in the inning and was removed. Raul Brito relieved and ended the inning by getting Cooper Ingle to ground out to first. Bradley went 1.2 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out three. He threw 42 pitches, 25 for strikes.
The game stayed tied at one until the fifth when Fedko drew a walk. He then took second on an errant pickoff attempt. With two outs Hendry Mendez hit a fly ball to left that Valera lost in the sun and it fell for an RBI single giving the Saints a 2-1 lead.
The Saints got quality relief pitching from Brito, who went 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings while walking two and striking out one. John Klein was even more dominant walking the second batter he faced before retiring the final eight men he faced going 3.0 hitless, shutout innings of relief with one walk and one strikeout.
The turning point in the game came in the sixth when the Saints loaded the bases with nobody out on an Aaron Sabato single to right, a walk to Ben Ross, and a bunt single by Alex Jackson. The next three hitters couldn’t get it done as Tanner Schobel struck out, Fedko flew out to shallow center, and Gonzalez struck out looking to end the inning.
The Clippers had scored 78 runs in the eighth inning coming into Sunday, 19 more than the next highest team, and added to their total scoring a pair of runs to take the lead. Ingle led off the inning against Grant Hartwig with a solo homer to left, his seventh of the season, locking the game at two. Juan Brito followed with a double to left, took third on a ground out, and scored on a balk putting the Clippers up 3-2.
Despite mustering opportunities over the first seven innings, the Saints couldn’t do anything over the final two innings, striking out five straight time before a pop out ended the game.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday morning against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals) at 11:07 a.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Mike Paredes (2-1, 3.74) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP Ryan Ramsey (2-4, 6.23). The game can be seen on the CW Twin Cities presented by Northland Ford Dealers, MLB.TV, MLB+, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.