Finally, Saints Win Series as They Hang on for 10-9 Victory Over I-Cubs
IL St. Paul Saints

Finally, Saints Win Series as They Hang on for 10-9 Victory Over I-Cubs

Published on July 12, 2025 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - From May 6-11 the St. Paul Saints took five of six from the Buffalo Bisons at CHS Field. Since then, the Saints have played eight series and gone 0-5-3. On Saturday night, they finally ended the drought, but it didn't come easy. The Saints hung on for a 10-9 victory over the Iowa Cubs on at CHS Field in front of 7,903. The win gives the Saints the series victory as they've taken four of the first five games.

The Saints entered the ninth inning with a 10-5 lead and looked like they would cruise, but the top hitting team in the International League didn't go quietly. Moises Ballesteros led off with a walk and Jonathan Long doubled him home making it 10-6. With one out Greg Allen hit a two-run homer to right, his fifth of the season, cutting the lead to 10-8. Ben Cowles then reached on an error by the shortstop Payton Eeles. Cowles scored on a triple from Chase Strumpf making it a one run game. With the infield in, Dixon Machado hit a ground ball to third. Jonah Bride made a backhanded play, and with his momentum carrying him into foul territory, threw a strike to the plate erasing Strumpf. Darius Hill then flew out to right, ending the game.

With two outs and nobody on the Saints grabbed the lead in the first. Edouard Julien started with a walk, Carson McCusker reached on a 111-mph line drive single off the shortstop Machado, and Bride walked loading the bases. Emmanuel Rodriguez followed with a two-run double off the bag at first giving the Saints a 2-0 lead.

After scoring seven runs on Friday night with two outs and nobody on, the I-Cubs knocked out three in a similar situation in the third. Christian Franklin doubled to left, Moises Ballesteros walked, and Jonathan Long hit a three-run homer to right-center, his 14th of the season, giving the I-Cubs a 3-2 lead.

For the fourth time this season the Saints went back-to-back to regain the lead in the bottom of the inning. McCusker mashed a solo homer to left-center, his 18th of the season, tying the game at three. McCusker went 2-4 with a home run, RBI, and three runs scored. Bride followed with a solo homer to right, his first, giving the Saints a 4-3 lead. Of the four back-to-back situations this season, McCusker has been involved in three of them.

The long balls continued for the Saints in the fifth. Julien led off the inning with a single to left and McCusker walked. With one out Will Holland walloped a three-run homer to left, his fifth of the season, putting the Saints up 7-3.

Two more two-out runs came across for the I-Cubs in the sixth. Carlos Pérez led off the inning with a single to right-center. With two outs back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Hill cashed in with a two-run single to left getting the I-Cubs to within 7-5.

For the fourth time in the game the Saints put up a crooked number. The first four hitters reached in the sixth as Anthony Prato walked and Eeles and Mickey Gasper singled to load the bases. Julien followed with a walk to force in a run giving the Saints an 8-5 lead. Bride doubled down the third base line plating two increasing the lead to 10-5. Bride finished the night 2-3 with a double, home run, three RBI, a run scored, and two walks.

The same two teams will meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field at 2:07 p.m. The Saints send Major League rehabber, RHP Zebby Matthews (2-1, 1.93) to the mound and the I-Cubs counter with RHP Ben Brown (0-0, 2.25). The game can be seen on the CW Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from July 12, 2025


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