TOLEDO, OH (June 9, 2026) - Fifth Third Field is the St. Paul Saints kryptonite. It’s a ballpark that plays big and has been tough on their offense. The Saints entered play 23-36 all-time in Toledo. They faced a Toledo Mud Hens team that swung the bats well in Iowa last week and they continued on Tuesday as the Saints were eaten alive in a 12-4 loss.
It didn’t take long for the Mud Hens to grab the lead. Three batters into the bottom of the first and they led 3-0. Max Clark led off with a walk, Hao-Yu Lee singled to left, and Gage Workman hit a three-run homer to right-center, his seventh of the season.
With one out the Saints loaded the bases in the third with a single to center by Tanner Schobel, a walk to Noah Cardenas, and an infield single to third by Kaelen Culpepper. They managed just one run as Kyler Fedko’s fielder’s choice plated a run cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The Saints didn’t collect a hit in the fourth, but plated a run when Gabby Gonzalez led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Aaron Sabato making it 3-2.
The Mud Hens blew it open in the fourth by scoring four. Ben Malgeri led off with a double to right-center and scored on a single to center from Max Anderson, increasing the Mud Hens lead to 4-2. With one out Eduardo Valencia doubled off the wall in right scoring Anderson making it 5-2. Corey Julks gave the Mud Hens a 7-2 lead with a two-run homer to left-center, his 12th of the season.
Trei Cruz led off the sixth for the Mud Hens with a double to right-center, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a single to left by Jace Jung increasing the Mud Hens lead to 8-2.
Trying to maintain their home run lead on the rest of baseball, the Saints got a longball in the seventh. With one out Ben Ross walked and that was followed by a two-run homer to left from Tanner Schobel, his second of the season, getting the Saints to within 8-4.
The nail in the coffin came in the seventh on a grand slam. The Mud Hens loaded the bases with one out on a walk to Anderson and back-to-back singles from Cruz and Valencia. Jung then went the opposite way over the left field wall for a grand slam, his ninth home run of the season, putting the Mud Hens up 12-4.
The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send Major League rehabber, RHP Mick Abel (NR) to the mound and the Mud Hens counter with Major League rehabber, RHP Justin Verlander (1-0, 0.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.