COLUMBUS, OH (September 16, 2026) - Regardless of whether the St. Paul Saints make the playoffs or not, and their elimination number is one, the season will end up being a huge success. Aaron Rozek bounced back from the worst start of his career to pitch a stellar game, he was backed by four relievers, as the Saints hung on to win 3-2 over the Columbus Clippers on Wednesday night at Huntington Park. The win gives the Saints 80 victories on the season for the second time in franchise history, and they will enter the final four games with the second-best overall record in the International League.
For the first time in franchise history the Saints started the game off with three consecutive doubles with Alan Roden, Gabby Gonzalez, and Matt Wallner each collecting a two bagger with the latter two driving in a run to make it 2-0.
Rozek, who gave up a career-high 10 runs, 11 hits, and three homers in his last start, silenced the Clippers for most of the night. He retired nine of the first 11 hitters he faced before giving up his lone run in the fourth. Kyle Manzardo led off with a double off the wall in right-center, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly from Blake Perkins cutting the Saints lead in half to 2-1. Rozek went 5.0 innings allowing one runs on two hits while walking one and striking out five.
In the fifth, the Saints grabbed the run back. With one out the Saints loaded the bases on a Noah Cardenas walk, an infield single to third by Roden, and a bloop single to left-center from Gonzalez. After a pitching change, Wallner’s sacrifice fly scored Cardenas upping the Saints lead to 3-1.
A leadoff walk to Kahlil Watson came back to bite the Saints in the sixth. He stole second, took third on the throwing error by catcher Noah Cardenas, and scored on a one out ground rule double from Ralphy Velazquez making it 3-2.
Three relievers slammed the door for the Saints at the end as Matt Bowman, Marco Raya, and Julian Merryweather each pitched a scoreless inning with Merryweather earning his seventh save of the season.
The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at Huntington Park at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints send LHP Kendry Rojas (2-0, 3.00) to the mound against Clippers RHP Austin Peterson (5-8, 4.35). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.