McCusker Mashes Two More Homers, Saints Take Down Bisons 6-2

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IL St. Paul Saints

McCusker Mashes Two More Homers, Saints Take Down Bisons 6-2

May 6, 2025 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints single-season home run record is 21. Carson McCusker is nearly halfway there just one-third of the way through the season. He hit two more home runs on Tuesday night, David Festa dominated once again, and the Saints defeated the Buffalo Bisons in their first ever trip to CHS Field 6-2 in front of 4,826.

The Saints wasted little time getting on the board first. Austin Martin led off with a single to right-center. With two outs McCusker singled on a pop up to the right side that second baseman Orelvis Martinez overran. With runners at the corners the Saints pulled off a double steal with a poor throw home allowing Martin to get in safely, but he left the game with an injury on the play.

Meanwhile, Festa cruised through the first five innings allowing just a two-out single in the first and a two-out single in the fourth.

In the sixth, the Bisons got their first runner to second base off Festa. With one out Jonathan Clase double to right-center. Festa then struck out Michael Stefanic looking before being lifted for reliever Travis Adams. A wild pitch moved Clase to third and Joey Loperfido slapped a single through the left side scoring Clase tying the game at one. Festa went 5.2 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out seven. He threw 72 pitches, 50 strikes. He got 16 swings and misses on the heels of 18 in his last outing.

The game didn't stay tied for long as McCusker gave the Saints the lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out Mickey Gasper singled to center. With two outs McCusker blasted a 426-foot homer, with an exit velo of 114.7 mph, to left, his eighth of the season giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.

The Saints blasted two more homers in the eighth as Gasper led off the inning with a solo shot to center, his third in five games with the Saints, making it 4-1. Two batters later it was McCusker again. He hit a solo homer to right-center, his second of the night and ninth of the season, increasing the lead to 5-1. McCusker finished the night 3-5 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored. The Saints loaded the bases on two walks sandwiched around a Jeferson Morales double. An RBI fielder's choice by Will Holland made it 6-1.

The Bisons would get a run in the ninth when Will Wagner singled and moved to third on a double by Martinez. With two outs back-to-back walks forced in a run making it 6-2, but a groundout with the tying run at the plate ended the game.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series at CHS Field on Wednesday evening at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP Andrew Morris (0-1, 4.57) to the mound against Bisons RHP Anders Tolhurst (1-0, 7.45). The game can be seen on the CW Network, 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 May 6, 2025


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