COLUMBUS, OH (August 20, 2026) - There are still 27 games left in the season, but two records fell with one swing of the bat on Thursday afternoon at Huntington Park. Matt Wallner became the franchise Triple-A single-season home run record holder and no St. Paul Saints team has hit more long balls than the 2026 club. The Saints hit four more home runs, and needed every one of them, in an 8-6 comeback victory over the Columbus Clippers, in seven innings, at Huntington Park. The win moves the Saints to 29-19 in the second half and 20-games over .500 on the season, 71-51.
After homering seven times in Tuesday’s game in which the final six and a half innings were finished Wednesday, the Saints picked up where they left off with another long ball to get the scoring started in the second. With two outs Tanner Schobel walked. Noah Cardenas followed with a two-run homer to left, his 11th of the season, giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. The home run was the 206th of the season for the Saints, tying the franchise record.
It didn’t take long for the Clippers to tie the game plating two in the bottom of the inning. George Valera led off with a double to right and Milán Tolentino walked. Alfonsin Rosario knotted the game at two with a two-run double to left.
Matt Wallner then set two records with one swing in the third. He unloaded on a 428-foot solo blast to right-center, his 23rd of the season setting a new Triple-A franchise record surpassing Carson McCusker’s 22 from 2025. His blast gave the Saints a 3-2 lead. It was also the 207th home run on the season for the Saints, the most in franchise history, surpassing the 206 hit by the 2023 team.
For the second consecutive inning the Clippers responded and this time they took the lead. Daniel Schneeman and Ralphy Velazquez started the inning with back-to-back home runs, their seventh and 17th, respectively putting the Clippers up 4-3. Kyle Manzardo followed with a single to right and Valera doubled to right, putting runners at second and third. A sacrifice fly by Tolentino increasing the lead to 5-3.
For the first time in their last 18 runs, the Saints scored without a home run. With two outs and nobody on the Clippers made a pitching change to lefty Steven Pérez. He walked the first batter he faced, Gabby Gonzalez. Wallner then hit a liner to right-center that Valera reached out and had the ball in his glove, but as he hit the ground and rolled over, the ball squirted out for an RBI double getting the Saints to within one at 5-4. Wallner finished the day 2-3 with a double, home run, two RBI, and two runs scored.
In the sixth Kala’i Rosario led off with a solo homer to center, his third of the season, tying the game at five. He finished 2-4 with a double, home run, RBI, and a run scored. With one out Schobel singled to right and with two outs Ben Ross walked. Up stepped Emmanuel Rodriguez who unloaded on a three-run homer to right, his second in as many games, and ninth of the season, giving the Saints an 8-5 lead.
The Saints bullpen was spectacular as Garrett Acton tossed 2.0 scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out the side in the fifth.
Julian Merryweather picked up where Acton left off as he struck out the side in the sixth. He started the seventh by fanning Cooper Ingle, making it seven consecutive outs by way of the strikeout. The Clippers made it interesting, however, as Schneeman doubled to left-center and scored on a single to right-center by Velazquez cutting the Saints lead to 8-6. Merryweather would settle down and strike out Manzardo and get Valera to pop out to end the game.
The Saints have now hit 11 home runs in their last two games, the most since they hit 11 in back-to-back games on July 13-14 at CHS Field against the Clippers, and 13 home runs in the first three games of the series. The Saints have scored 21 runs in the last four games, 21 have scored by way of the home run.
The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at Huntington Park at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send LHP Kendry Rojas (2-0, 3.27) to the mound against Clippers RHP Ben Lively (0-0, 0.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.