Raya Magnificent, But Saints Can't Hold Late Lead, Lose 4-3
IL St. Paul Saints

Raya Magnificent, But Saints Can't Hold Late Lead, Lose 4-3

July 4, 2025 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - Over his last handful of starts Marco Raya has shown the promise the Minnesota Twins saw in him when they drafted him in the 4th round out of United South (TX) High School in 2020. He tossed a career-tying high 6.0 innings, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead as the St. Paul Saints fell 4-3 to the Gwinnett Stripers on Friday night at Coolray Field.

Raya wiggled out of a first inning jam. After giving up a leadoff single he got one of his three double plays on the night. The next three hitters reached on a walk and two singles loading the bases, but Raya got a flyout to end the inning.

The Stripers scored their lone run off Raya in the third without a hit. Jarred Kelenic led off with a walk. He stole second, took third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly from Carlos Rodriguez making it 1-0.

Five walks and an infield single in the fourth gave the Saints the lead. With two outs and nobody on Aaron Sabato and Yunior Severino walked. Will Holland reached on an infield single to second loading the bases. Three straight walks to Patrick Winkel, Antony Prato, and Edouard Julien forced in three runs giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.

Raya allowed just two hitters to reach in innings four through six, one out walks in the fourth and sixth. Both times he induced ground ball double plays to end the inning. Raya went 6.0 innings for just the third time in his career, allowing one run on three hits while walking four and striking out three. He threw a career-high 86 pitches, 52 for strikes.

The Stripers hadn't collected a hit since their three in the first as they batted in the eighth. With one out David Fletcher doubled to left and that was followed by an RBI double to right by Kelenic cutting the Saints lead to 3-2. Jonathan Ornelus then hit a two-run homer to center, his third of the season, making it 4-3.

The Saints threatened in the ninth starting the inning with back-to-back walks, but after an injury to pitcher Michael Petersen, José Ruiz came out of the bullpen. He struck out Winkel, got Prato to fly out to center, and struck out Julien to end the game.

The loss dropped the Saints to 1-4 on the 4th of July since becoming a Twins Triple-A affiliate.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series on Saturday night at 5:05 p.m. (CT) at Coolray Field. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (0-5, 7.12) to the mound against Stripers RHP Hurston Waldrep (6-6, 5.64). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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