ST. PAUL, MN (September 11, 2026) - Aaron Sabato did everything he could to help the St. Paul Saints shrinking playoff chances. He added his name to the franchise single-season record book twice, once for homers and once for doubles. It wasn’t enough, however, to stop the oncoming train that was the Syracuse Mets offense giving up nine runs in the first two innings as they lost 10-4 at CHS Field in front of 7,221. The loss keeps the Saints at 3.0 back with eight to play, but in sixth place.
The game got off to a disastrous start for the Saints as the Mets put up five in the first as seven straight reached after one was out. Vidal Bruján got it started with a solo homer to left, his fourth of the season, making it 1-0. Ronny Mauricio walked and MJ Melendez made it 3-0 with a two-run homer to left, his 19th of the season. Eric Wagaman singled to left and Billy Amick doubled him to third. Back-to-back RBI singles by Jose Ramos and Hayden Singer upped the Mets lead to 5-0.
The boulder kept rolling down the hill in the second as the Mets tacked on another four. Bruján led off with a walk. Mauricio then hit a ground ball to short, but Tanner Schobel’s throw to Cody Morissette at second was dropped for an error. That proved to be costly as Melendez drilled his second homer of the night, his 20th of the season, pushing the Mets lead to 8-0. With one out Amick doubled to left and scored on a single to right-center by Ramos giving the Mets a 9-0 lead.
Kala’i Rosario started the bottom of the inning off for the Saints with a single off the foot of pitcher Kevin Herget. Morissette followed with a double to right putting runners at second and third. An RBI groundout from Schobel put the Saints on the board at 9-1.
Sabato crushed a solo homer to left in the third, his 24th of the season tying Matt Wallner for the single-season franchise record, getting the Saints to within 9-2.
Melendez continued his hot night by leading off the fourth with a double to left. After a walk to Wagaman, back-to-back fielder’s choice groundouts scored Melendez giving the Mets a 10-2 lead.
Sabato would add his name to the record book one more time. In the sixth he led off with a double to right, his 29th of the season breaking the franchises Triple-A single-season record. He surpassed Jermaine Palacios’ 28 in 2022. Sabato finished 3-4, a triple shy of the cycle, with an RBI, and two runs scored. With two outs and Sabato at third, Morissette knocked him home with a single making it 10-3.
The Saints made it interesting in the ninth inning loading the bases with one out on two walks and a hit by pitch. Emmanuel Rodriguez walked forcing in a run, getting the Saints to within 10-4. After a pitching change, Hendry Mendez scorched a 108.0 mph grounder to third that was flagged by Nick Lorusso and he started a game ending 5-4-3 double play.
The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series at CHS Field on Saturday evening at 5:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ryan Gallagher (7-7, 6.35) to the mound and the Mets are TBA. 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.