Saints Become First Team in Baseball with 100 Homers as New Second Baseman Hits Grand Slam, Drives in Five in 10-1 Thumping of Indianapolis
IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Become First Team in Baseball with 100 Homers as New Second Baseman Hits Grand Slam, Drives in Five in 10-1 Thumping of Indianapolis

Published on June 3, 2026 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - For just the second time in his Minor League career, and third time in his pro career, Royce Lewis started a game at second base. Apparently, it doesn't matter where you put him on the diamond because he continues to produce. He played cleanly on defense and continued his torrid hitting, smashing a grand slam that broke the game wide open, as the St. Paul Saints crushed the Indianapolis Indians 10-1 on Wednesday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 5,003.

The Minnesota Twins number 19 prospect, pitcher Ryan Gallagher, built on his last outing in which he tossed 5.0 shutout innings. He danced around a few walks on the day but made the pitches when he needed to including in the first inning. With one on and one out, Gallagher got Ronny Simon to ground into a double play, started by Lewis at second. On the defensive side, Lewis fielded five ground balls cleanly and had five assists.

All nine Saints hitters collected a hit as the Saints pounded out 14 hits and three more long balls, for 101 on the season, becoming the first team in baseball to hit 100 homers this season.

The first four Saints batters of the game all reached and scored. Kaelen Culpepper led off with a single to left. Hendry Mendez followed with a two-run homer to center, his fourth of the season, as he extended his consecutive games reaching base safely streak to start his Triple-A career to 23, putting the Saints up 2-0. Lewis then singled between the shortstop and third baseman into left field and that was followed by a two-run blast to right by Matt Wallner, his second of the season, doubling the lead to 4-0. Wallner went 2-4, his fourth straight two-hit game, with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored.

Gallagher continued his strong performance on the mound with the biggest trouble coming in the fourth. He allowed his first hit of the game with one out in the fourth, a double to Simon. After a walk put runners at first and second, Gallagher got a pop out and a strikeout. He went 5.0 shutout innings allowing two hits while walking four and striking out four. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 10.1 innings pitched.

The Saints offense remained quiet until the eighth when they loaded the bases with the first three hitters. David Bañuelos led off the inning reaching on a fielding error by the shortstop by Davis Wendzel. Culpepper and Mendez followed with singles. Lewis then drilled a grand slam over the left field wall, his 10th of the season, and eighth since being optioned, putting the Saints up 8-0. It was the ninth career grand slam for Lewis. He became the fastest Saints player with 10 home runs in a season, doing it in 13 games. The previous record was 25 by Spencer Steer in 2021.

The shutout bid ended for the Saints in the eighth when Termarr Johnson reached on a one out single to right-center, Billy Cook was hit by a pitch, and Simon singled home Johnson to make it 8-1.

Lewis capped off his impressive day in the bottom of the eighth when the Saints put up two more. Bañuelos led off the inning with a single to right and Culpepper walked. A wild pitch moved the runners up. Mendez made it 9-1 with an RBI groundout. He finished the day 2-5 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored. Lewis then singled up the middle, scoring Culpepper making it 10-1. Lewis went 3-5 with a home run, five RBI, and two runs scored.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Klein (1-1, 6.09) to the mound against Indians RHP Noah Davis (1-4, 4.03). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MLB+, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, all presented by the Northland Ford Dealers.

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International League Stories from June 3, 2026


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