ST. PAUL, MN (July 19, 2026) - For the 11th consecutive game the St. Paul Saints held the Louisville Bats to three runs or less. For six innings, it looked like the Saints pitchers would have an even more memorable moment than not allowing many runs. They carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, settled for a three-hitter as the Saints finished off a four-game sweep of the Louisville Bats, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field. The win was the Saints fifth straight and brought them to a season-high 13-games over .500 at 54-41, 12-9 in the second half.
Major League rehabber Connor Prielipp set the tone. He retired the first seven men he faced before walking Dayne Leonard with one out in the fourth. Prielipp finished off his day getting Sam Haggerty and Francisco Urbaez to ground out. He went 3.0 hitless, shutout innings while walking one and striking out three. He threw 32 pitches, 20 for strikes and got six swings and misses on 15 swings. His fastball averaged 96.7 mph and topped out at 97.5 mph.
Two long balls for the Saints in the bottom of the third were all the Saints needed. Cody Morissette led off the inning with a walk and Kala’i Rosario blasted his first Triple-A home run, a two-run shot to left-center, putting the Saints up 2-0. With one out Walker Jenkins blooped a single into left and with two outs Aaron Sabato smacked a two-run shot to center, his 17th of the season, doubling the Saints lead to 4-0. Sabato finished the day 2-4 with a double, home run, two RBI, and a run scored.
John Klein kept the no-hitter going through his 2.0 innings of work. He danced around a pair of walks in the fourth and a leadoff walk in the fifth, but didn’t allow a hit while striking out two.
In the sixth, Eduardo Salazar took over and retired the side in order. He came out for a second inning of work and Michael Chavis led off the seventh by looping a single into left to break up the no-hitter, but he tried to stretch it into a double and Gabby Gonzalez threw him out. Salazar went 2.0 shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out one.
The Saints picked up an insurance run in the eighth when Rosario singled to left, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a Jenkins double to left pushing the lead to 5-0. Rosario went 2-3 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored while Jenkins went 2-4 with a double, RBI, and a run scored.
Trent Baker, who pitched a perfect eighth, gave up the lone run when Héctor Rodríguez led off with a solo homer to left, his 24th of the season, making it 5-1. Baker would give up a one out single to Michael Toglia, but got Chavis to ground into a double play, ending the game. Baker went 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday to take on the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians) in game one of a six-game series at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Jack Anderson (2-4, 4.57) to the mound against Clippers RHP Trenton Denholm (8-3, 4.44). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.com, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, all presented by Northland Ford Dealers.