COLUMBUS, OH (September 17, 2026) - They found out a few hours before first pitch that there would be no playoffs in 2026. Then the St. Paul Saints went out and took out their frustration on the Columbus Clippers. They scored in six consecutive innings from the third through the eighth and crushed the Clippers 16-6 on Thursday night at Huntington Park.
Eight of the nine Saints collected a hit, five of those eight had a multi-hit game, eight of nine scored a run, and six of nine drove home a run. With the 16 runs scored, the Saints now lead the International League with 832 runs scored. It’s the second most runs scored in Triple-A franchise history only behind the 875 runs scored in 2023.
The bottom of the Saints order got it started for the Saints in the third. Tanner Schobel led off with a walk and Jake Rucker broke an 0-23 slide with a single to left, putting runners at first and second. Ian Daugherty made it 1-0 with an RBI single to left. After a walk to Alan Roden loaded the bases, Gabby Gonzalez was hit by a pitch that forced in a run increasing the lead to 2-0.
Cooper Ingle led off the bottom of the inning for the Clippers with a single to right, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a two out bloop single over the outstretched glove of the third baseman Rucker by Ralphy Velazquez cutting the Saints lead to 2-1.
For the second time in two innings the bottom of the order tacked on a run for the Saints. With Schobel on at first after a fielder’s choice, he stole second, and scored on Rucker’s double to the left-center field gap upping the lead to 3-1.
The first longball of the series was hit by the Saints in the fifth. Gonzalez led off the inning with an infield single to second. Matt Wallner followed with a two-run blast to right, his 25th of the season, giving the Saints a 5-1 lead. The 25 home runs tied Aaron Sabato for most home runs in a single-season in Triple-A franchise history and it was his 66th in a Saints uniform, one behind the all-time franchise leader, Ole Sheldon. Wallner finished the night 2-5 with a double, home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. With one out the Saints loaded the bases on a Hendry Mendez single to right, a walk to Cody Morissette, and a single to center by Schobel. With two outs Daugherty walked forcing in a run pushing the lead to 6-1.
In the bottom of the inning the Clippers grabbed all three runs back. Ingle led off with an infield single to second. With one out Kyle Manzardo walked putting runners at first and second. Velazquez doubled down the third base line that scored Ingle getting the Clippers to within 6-2. Kody Huff made it 6-4 with a two-run double into the left field corner.
Against Major League rehabber Shawn Anderson, the Saints put a pair on when Gonzalez led off the sixth by being hit by a pitch and a two out double off the wall in right-center from Mendez put runners at second and third. After a pitching change, Morissette greeted Franco Aleman with a two-run single to right-center doubling the lead to 8-4.
The offense continued to produce for the Saints in the seventh. Rucker led off with a single to right, stole second, was balked to third, and scored on an RBI single by Roden increasing the lead to 9-4.
The Saints blew the game wide open with a seven run eighth inning. The Saints loaded the bases with nobody out on a hit by pitch and two walks, a balk forced in a run making it 10-4. After a walk reloaded the bases, Rucker walked forcing in a run upping the lead to 11-4. Rucker went 3-4 with a double, two RBI, and two runs. Daugherty’s RBI groundout made it 12-4. He finished the night 1-4 with a career-high three RBI. Roden gave the Saints a 14-4 lead with a two-run single to left. Roden was 2-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Gonzalez followed with a two-run shot to left, his 16th of the season, making it 16-4. Gonzalez went 2-4 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. It was the 249th home run on the season for the Saints, tied for the most in all of baseball.
George Valera led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer to right, his 12th of the season, making it 16-5.
The Clippers added the last run of the game on an RBI single by Valera in the ninth.
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, 3.00) against Clippers RHP Justin Campbell (0-1, 2.13). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.