Abel Sets Franchise Record with 11 Strikeouts, But Saints Walked-Off in 4-3 Loss
IL St. Paul Saints

Abel Sets Franchise Record with 11 Strikeouts, But Saints Walked-Off in 4-3 Loss

Published on August 16, 2025 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


PAPILLION, NE - Mick Abel may not have much more to prove at Triple-A. In just his third start since coming over from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade, he had one of the most dominant outings in St. Paul Saints franchise history. He fanned a franchise record, and career high 11, but the Saints for the second time in the series were walked-off in the bottom of the ninth in a 4-3 loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park on Saturday night.

Abel was on his game from the start. He struck out the side in the first on his way to retiring the first 12 men he faced over the first four innings. He recorded six strikeouts in that span.

The Saints capitalized on an error in the third to score first. Anthony Prato reached on a two base fielding error by third baseman Bobby Dalbec. Payton Eeles made Dalbec pay by grounding a ball off the glove of a diving second baseman Michael Massey as it ricocheted into centerfield as Prato scored giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

Kyler Fedko made it 2-0 with a solo homer to left in the fifth, his fourth with the Saints and 24th overall this season.

Abel's only blemish of the night came in the fifth when he gave up a leadoff double to left to Major League rehabber Jac Caglianone. The Kansas City Royals number one prospect, Carter Jensen, then followed that with a two-run homer to right, his 10th of the season, tying the game at two.

Another Dalbec error helped the Saints score a run in the sixth. With two outs Jonah Bride doubled to left-center. Noah Cardenas then hit a slow tapper to third. Dalbec charged and his throw to first was high. Caglianone leaped in the air and landed on Cardenas as the ball came out of Caglianone's glove and Bride came around to score giving the Saints a 3-2 lead.

Abel finished his night by retiring the side in order in the sixth including punching out the final two men he faced. He went 6.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits while striking out 11. He threw 87 pitches, 57 for strikes and got 20 swings and misses. He became the fourth pitcher in franchise history to strike out double-digit hitters joining Griffin Jax (May 28, 2021), David Festa (three times in 2024), and Randy Dobnak (June 15, 2024). He also became just the second pitcher to not walk a hitter and strikeout double-digit hitters, joining Festa, and the first to not walk or hit a batter in striking out 10 or more.

Unfortunately, the Saints wasted the masterful start. In the ninth, Cory Lewis walked the first two hitters he faced. Carter Jensen then hit a pop up in back of short that Eeles lost in the night sky and the ball fell for a single to load the bases. After Lewis got a foul out to third, Dalbec ripped a 1-2 fastball into left-center scoring two for the walk-off single.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday evening at Werner Park at 5:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Taj Bradley (1-0, 3.57) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP John Gant (3-3, 6.40). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from August 16, 2025


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