DES MOINES, IA (August 15, 2026) - Entering 2026 the St. Paul Saints had one doubleheader sweep in franchise history, their very first as a Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate in 2021. With their come from behind victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader on Saturday night at Principal Park, the Saints have now swept three doubleheaders this season. They scored three in the sixth for a 5-4 win over the Iowa Cubs.
With the Saints down 4-2 in the sixth inning and two outs with nobody on, they mounted the comeback. They loaded the bases on back-to-back infield singles by Kala’i Rosario and Cody Morissette that glanced off pitcher Tyler Ferguson’s glove and a walk to Tanner Schobel. Noah Cardenas cleared the bases with a one hop double off the wall in left flipping the game in the Saints favor, 5-4.
Eric Orze and Julian Merryweather each pitched a perfect inning of relief, striking out a pair apiece to slam the door on the victory.
For the second time in three games the Saints retired the first two hitters in the first only to see the I-Cubs put up a crooked number. Owen Ayers started it with a solo homer to right, his second of the season, making it 1-0. BJ Murray followed with a single to right and Kevin Alcántara reached on a fielding error by Tristan Gray at short. Ethan Hearn then drilled a three-run homer to right, his third of the season, increasing the lead 4-0.
Four straight hitters reached to start the third for the Saints leading to a pair of runs. Noah Cardenas started the inning with a hit by pitch. Ben Ross drilled an RBI double down the third base line, scoring Cardenas cutting the deficit to 4-1. Emmanuel Rodriguez got the Saints within 4-2 with an RBI double to right. After an infield single by Aaron Sabato put runners at first and second with nobody out, the Saints appeared to be in business. Sabato, however, was picked off first when Gabby Gonzalez felt a pitch hit him, Sabato took a few steps off the bag and Ayers threw down to first with Sabato off the bag and he was tagged out. Gonzalez would walk, but instead of the bases loaded and nobody out, they had first and third and one out. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning.
The same two teams meet in the finale of a six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. The Saints send RHP Germán Márquez (1-1, 3.57) to the mound against I-Cubs LHP Jordan Wicks (2-0, 6.35). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers