DES MOINES, IA (August 16, 2026) - When the St. Paul Saints needed to make a pitch on Sunday afternoon at Principal Park they did. They induced three double plays and in the tightest situation in the ninth inning, Marco Raya got out of a bases loaded jam. Matt Wallner added the offense, including tying the single-season franchise home run record.as the Saints hung on for a 2-1 victory over the Iowa Cubs.
With one out in the first the Saints loaded the bases on a single to left by Ben Ross, a single to center by Emmanuel Rodriguez, and a walk to Aaron Sabato. Matt Wallner’s RBI fielder’s choice put the Saints up 1-0.
Germán Márquez made his Saints debut and in the bottom of the first showed a sign of things to come. The first two hitters reached on a single and a walk, but he retired the next three hitters to keep the I-Cubs off the scoreboard.
In the fourth, Wallner tied the single-season franchise home run record when he torched a solo home run to right, his 22nd of the season, putting the Saints up 2-0. The 22 home runs ties Carson McCusker (2025) for most home runs in a single-season in Triple-A franchise history.
The first two hitters reached in the bottom of the inning for the I-Cubs as Greg Jones singled to right, stole second, and moved to third on a line drive single by Kevin Alcántara that glanced off the glove of pitcher Márquez putting runners at the corners. A ground ball double play scored the run cutting the Saints lead to 2-1. Márquez was solid going 4.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while walking two and striking out one.
Aaron Rozek walked the leadoff hitters in both the fifth and sixth inning for the Saints, but induced double plays to the very next hitter in both innings. He went 3.0 hitless, shutout innings, while walking three and striking out three.
Garrett Acton took over for the Saints in the eighth and pitched a hitless, scoreless inning, while walking one and striking out one.
In the ninth, things got a little hairy for Raya. With one out Alcántara singled to left, Ben Cowles walked, and Chas McCormick singled to left loading the bases. Raya bounced back and got Jordan Nwogu to foul out to first and Justin Dean flew out to center ending the game as Raya earned his third save of the season.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night at Huntington Park in game one of a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Ryan Gallagher (5-5, 5.67) to the mound against Clippers RHP Trenton Denholm (9-4, 4.78). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.