Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun As Saints Tie Franchise Record With Seven Two Baggers In 6-4 Win
LOUISVILLE, KY (May 26, 2026) - Both teams entered play tied for the third most runs scored in the International League. The Louisville Bats lead the league with a .285 average, 11 points higher than their next closest pursuer. It was the St. Paul Saints, however, who pounded out 10
LOUISVILLE, KY (May 26, 2026) - Both teams entered play tied for the third most runs scored in the International League. The Louisville Bats lead the league with a .285 average, 11 points higher than their next closest pursuer. It was the St. Paul Saints, however, who pounded out 10 hits, eight for extra-bases with a franchise tying seven doubles, in a 6-4 victory on Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
It didn’t take long for the Saints to get going as Kaelen Culpepper led off the game with a home run to left, his 11th of the season, giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. It was the fifth time he’s led off the game with a home run, tied for the most in the Minor Leagues. Hendry Mendez followed with a double off the wall in center and with one out Matt Wallner made it 2-0 with an RBI double to right.
The Bats answered in the bottom of the inning with two of their own. Edwin Arroyo led off with a single to left-center and Héctor Rodriguez walked. With one out Michael Toglia doubled to left driving home Arroyo cutting the Saints lead in half at 2-1. A wild pitch scored Rodriguez tying the game at two.
The top of the order did it again for the Saints in the third. Culpepper led off with a walk and Mendez lined a double to left, his second two-bagger of the game, putting runners at second and third. Mendez finished 4-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Royce Lewis’ ground out scored Culpepper giving the Saints a 3-2 lead. Wallner collected his second double of the game lining it into right-center scoring Mendez increasing the lead to 4-2. Wallner went 2-5 with two doubles, the 12th time in his career he’s accomplished that, and two RBI.
The league’s leading hitter cut the Saints lead to one in the fifth. With one out Rodriguez singled to left, took second on a wild pitch, and scored when Noelvi Marte, who came in hitting .374, singled to right making it 4-3.
Gabby Gonzalez, fresh off his Major League debut, led off the sixth with a double to left and that was followed by a walk to Kyler Fedko. With one out Ricardo Olivar doubled to left driving both runs home putting the Saints up 6-3. The double was the seventh of the game for the Saints, tying a Triple-A franchise record which they had accomplished twice before, the last time on September 10, 2022 at Toledo.
The bottom of the order got a run back for the Bats in the bottom of the inning. With one out Austin Hendrick doubled to left and he scored on a single to left by Will Banfieldmaking it 6-4.
Saints reliever Raul Brito shut down the Bats offense over the final 2.0 innings as he didn’t allow a run or hit and struck out two. He picked up his first save of the season and became the 11th different Saints pitcher to earn a save this season.
The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field at 11:05 a.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Mike Paredes (2-1, 3.64) to the mound against Bats RHP Darren McCaughan (5-2, 7.95). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.