Oh the Humanity, Saints Give Up Franchise-Tying Record In Runs and Hits In 21-7 Loss To I-Cubs
DES MOINES, IA (July 9, 2026) - The numbers were mind boggling. The St. Paul Saints gave up a franchise-tying 21 runs and 24 hits, a franchise record eight doubles, and an astounding 17 runs with two outs in a 21-7 loss to the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night at
DES MOINES, IA (July 9, 2026) - The numbers were mind boggling. The St. Paul Saints gave up a franchise-tying 21 runs and 24 hits, a franchise record eight doubles, and an astounding 17 runs with two outs in a 21-7 loss to the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night at Principal Park.
The numbers didn’t end there as all nine I-Cubs collected a hit and eight of nine had multiple hits, all nine had an RBI, and all nine scored a run. The Saints were down just two when they scored two in the sixth inning, but gave up 14 of the next 16 runs.
The first inning continued to be advantageous for the Saints as they added to their baseball high 84 runs. With two outs and nobody on Orlando Arcia doubled to left, extending the Saints streak to 75 consecutive games with an extra-base hit, longest streak in baseball this season. After a walk to Aaron Sabato, Hendry Mendez doubled off the base of the left field wall scoring Arcia giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.
The lead didn’t last long as the I-Cubs tied it in the bottom of the first when Jonathon Long reached on a one out single to left, took third on a single to right-center by BJ Murray, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Owen Miller.
Speed from an unexpected source got the Saints a run in the second. With Noah Cardenas at first and two outs, he stole second and took third on a throwing error by catcher Moises Ballesteros. It was Cardenas’ first stolen base in 114 games. It proved huge as Ben Ross doubled him home giving the Saints a 2-1 lead.
The game unraveled for the Saints in the bottom of the fourth. With nobody on and two outs, seven consecutive I-Cubs reached. It started with back-to-back home runs from Christian Bethancourt and Scott Kingery, their 10th and third, respectively, giving the I-Cubs a 3-2 lead. Brett Bateman singled to right-center, stole second, and scored on an RBI single to left-center by Long, doubling the Saints at 4-2. BJ Murray walked and the Saints made a pitching change for Eduardo Salazar. He was greeted with an RBI double from Miller and a two-run double by Moises Ballesteros increasing the lead to 7-2.
Ben Ross got one back by leading off the fifth with a solo homer to left, his seventh of the season, getting the Saints to within 7-3.
For the second time in the game Hendry Mendez doubled off a lefty, leading off the sixth by drilling one off the right-center field wall. With one out he scored on a single to left by Cody Morissette cutting the deficit to 7-4. Tanner Schobel was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second. Morissette then stole third and the throw went into left field allowing Morissette to score making it 7-5.
Long continued his scorching hot night by leading off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer to left, his 10th of the season, pushing the lead to 8-5. For the ninth consecutive game the Saints committed an error as Orlando Arcia booted a grounder by Murray. It proved costly because with runners at first and second and two outs James Triantos knocked in a run with a single and that was followed by an RBI double from Bethancourt as the I-Cubs once again doubled up the Saints, 10-5.
Two doubles in the seventh got the Saints a run back as Walker Jenkins led off with a two-bagger off the wall in right-center and with one out Aaron Sabato roped an RBI double high off the wall in right to get the Saints to 10-6.
Once again, the I-Cubs answered in the bottom of the inning as the first three hitters reached plating two runs. Bateman led off with a single to center, moved to third on a double to left by Long, and both scored on a single high off the wall in right by Murray putting the I-Cubs up 12-6.
A nine-run eighth inning put the game away as the I-Cubs scored all nine runs with a man on first and two outs.
The Saints avoided tying a franchise record for largest margin of defeat when they scored a run in the ninth as Jenkins led off with a single, went to second on a one out walk to Sabato, and scored on a two-out single from Kala’i Rosario.
The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series at Principal Park on Friday night at 7:08 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ty Langenberg (3-3, 4.91) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Jaxon Wiggins (0-0, 5.63). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.