LOUISVILLE, KY (May 30, 2026) - The St. Paul Saints were left without a starter when John Klein was recalled by the Minnesota Twins. Short on arms they did more than carve it together on Saturday night. Three relievers combined to baffle the Louisville Bats in a 7-2 victory at Louisville Slugger Field.
Marco Raya took the ball first and the former starter made his first start of the season. He was solid despite giving up a run in each of the first two innings. For the third time in the series the Bats plated a run in the first. With one out Hector Rodriguez singled to center, took third on a single from Noelvi Marte, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Toglia making it 1-0.
Ivan Johnson made it 2-0 with a leadoff solo homer to left in the second, his ninth of the season. Raya went 3.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits and struck out four. The Saints allowed just one more hit the rest of the way after the home run.
The first two hitters reached for the Saints in the third on back-to-back singles by Kaelen Culpepper and Hendry Mendez that put runners at the corners. Mendez has now reached safely in all 20 games with the Saints. With one out Kyler Fedko’s double to left-center got the Saints on the board making it 2-1. With two outs Gabby Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run single to left putting the Saints up 3-2.
Alejandro Hidalgo, who gave up three consecutive home runs and four total runs in an inning on Thursday, rebounded brilliantly. He retired nine of the 10 hitters he faced, allowing just a two-out single in the fifth to Garrett Hampson. Hidalgo went 3.0 shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out five.
For the second straight game Ricardo Olivar went deep and increased the Saints lead in the fifth. With one out Matt Wallner smoked a single off the wall in right. With two outs Ben Ross whacked a single into left, putting runners at first and second. After a pitching change, Olivar greeted new pitcher Julian Garcia with a three-run homer to left-center, his second of the season, putting the Saints up 6-2. The Saints have now homered in 11 straight, the second longest active streak in baseball only behind the Peoria Chiefs who have homered in 16 straight.
Raul Brito was the third and final pitcher for the Saints and he cruised through the first two innings retiring all six men he faced.
The Saints tacked on an insurance run in the ninth when Culpepper led off with a single to right. He finished the night 3-4 with two runs scored. With one out Royce Lewis smoked an RBI double to left-center putting the Saints up 7-2. Lewis went 2-5 with a double and an RBI.
Brito finished off the night earning a three inning save. After retiring the first two hitters in the ninth, he walked Toglia, but got Francisco Urbaez to fly out to right ending the game. Brito went 3.0 hitless, shutout innings while walking one and striking out two. The Saints retired 24 of the final 26 hitters they faced.
The same two teams meet in the finale of a six-game series at Louisville Slugger Field at 12:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Mike Paredes (2-1, 3.38) to the mound against RHP Sam Benschoter (2-2, 6.37). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.