LOUISVILLE, KY (May 28, 2026) - The St. Paul Saints starters have done solid work against the top hitting team in the International League through the first two games of their series at Louisville Slugger Field. On Thursday night, three Saints pitchers nearly combined to shutout the Louisville Bats in an 8-1 victory.
Ryan Gallagher had his finest start since being promoted to Triple-A on April 27. He allowed a one out triple in the first and a one out infield single in the second before retiring eight in a row. Gallagher went 5.0 shutout innings allowing four hits and fanning five. He earned his first Triple-A win.
The Saints offense poured it on over the first four innings and knocked out Bats starter Brandon Leibrandt after just 1.1 innings. Two batters into the game and the Saints took the lead. Kaelen Culpepper led off the game with a walk and that was followed by a two-run homer from Royce Lewis, his seventh with the Saints and fifth since being optioned, putting the Saints up 2-0. Lewis went 2-4 with a double, home run, two RBI, and a run.
The first three hitters reached for the Saints in the second to load the bases as back-to-back singles from Kyler Fedko and Aaron Sabato, who extended his hitting streak to 13, was followed by a walk to Ben Ross. Noah Cardenas then jumped all over a fastball for a grand slam, his second home run of the season and second grand slam of his career, moving the Saints lead to 6-0. Cardenas went 2-4 with a double, grand slam, four RBI, and a run scored.
An error proved costly for the Bats in the third and provided the Saints with a run. Matt Wallner led off with a walk and Kyler Fedko singled to left, putting runners at first and second. With one out Ross hit a ground ball to second, Edwin Arroyo tagged Fedko, but his throw to first went into foul territory as Wallner scored making it 7-0.
For the second time in three innings the Saints loaded the bases. With one out back-to-back singles by Hendry Mendez, who tied a franchise record by starting his Saints career reaching base safely in his first 18 games, and Gabby Gonzalez was followed by a hit by pitch to Wallner. Fedko’s sacrifice fly pushed the Saints lead to 8-0.
Andrew Bash took over for the Saints in the sixth and despite bouts of wildness, walking a career high four out of relief, he was able to dance around trouble in going 2.0 hitless, shutout innings while striking out one.
C.J. Culpepper came on in the eighth and after giving up a leadoff single got a double play and strikeout to end the inning. He was two outs from completing the shutout, but Austin Hendrick homered with one out in the ninth, his second of the season, to spoil it. Culpepper went 2.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while striking out a career-high four out of relief.
The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field at 6:15 p.m. (CT). The Saints send LHP Aaron Rozek (0-0, 1.84) to the mound against Bats RHP Chase Petty (2-4, 6.32). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.