McCusker's 16th Homer of the Season Not Enough in 8-3 Loss to Bats

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IL St. Paul Saints

McCusker's 16th Homer of the Season Not Enough in 8-3 Loss to Bats

June 29, 2025 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - When the St. Paul Saints were looking for a spark, they got one from the guy that has been hitting home runs at a prolific pace this year. Carson McCusker's eighth inning blast gave the Saints some life, but it wasn't enough in an 8-3 loss to the Louisville Bats on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field.

Three home runs over the first three innings put the Saints in an early hole. It didn't take long for the Bats to get on the board. With one out in the first Francisco Urbaez singled to right and that was followed by a two-run homer to left from Edwin Rios, his 15th of the season, giving the Bats a 2-0 lead.

The Bats got another long ball in the second. With two outs and nobody on Will Banfield hit a solo homer to left, his first of the season, making it 3-0.

Rios hit his second home run of the game, a solo homer to left in the third, his 16th of the season, giving the Bats a 4-0 lead. Saints starter Randy Dobnak went 4.0 innings allowing four runs on six hits, including three home runs, while walking one and striking out four.

One of the newest Saints pitchers, Connor Gillispie, made his debut. He retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth, but in the seventh the Bats put the game away with a four-run inning. With one out they loaded the bases on a Banfield double, a walk to Blake Dunn, and a Bryson Brigman single to right. A sacrifice fly by Urbaez made it 5-0. Rios came through again with a two-run double to right-center increasing the Bats lead to 7-0. He finished the day 3-4 with a double, two home runs, and five RBI. Jack Rogers made it 8-0 with an RBI single to right.

The Saints offense, meanwhile, did nothing against Bats starter Brian Van Belle who retired the first 11 men he faced until an infield single by Austin Martin in the fourth. The Saints managed just one more hit off Van Belle as he went 6.0 shutout innings on two hits while walking one and striking out seven.

Carson McCusker made some noise for the Saints in the eighth. With one out Anthony Prato was hit by a pitch, tying the single-season franchise record wit his 13th of the season, and with two outs Martin singled to left. McCusker then delivered with a three-run homer to right-center, his 16th of the season, cutting the deficit to 8-3.

In the ninth, the Saints tried to make it interesting when the first two hitters reached on a walk to Aaron Sabato and a double by Jeferson Morales, but Zach Maxwell retired the next three hitters on a pop out and two strikeouts to end the game.

The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday against the Gwinnett Stripers at 6:05 p.m. (CT) at Coolray Field. The Saints send RHP Travis Adams (3-2, 3.54) to the mound and the Stripers are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 29, 2025


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