Saints Club Five Home Runs...And Lose 10-6 to IronPigs
IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Club Five Home Runs...And Lose 10-6 to IronPigs

Published on April 18, 2026 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - A Major League rehabber went deep and it was the third most impressive homer in the game for the St. Paul Saints. They clubbed five long balls, one which cleared the batter's eye in center and one that was the hardest hit ball in franchise history. It wasn't enough, however, as for just the second time in franchise history the Saints lost when hitting at least five home runs, dropping a 10-6 contest to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 4,334.

The teams traded two spots in the first inning. The IronPigs got a leadoff double down the third base line by Sergio Alcántara. Steward Berroa dropped a bunt single to third and third baseman Eric Wagaman's throw went into foul territory allowing Alcántara to score and Berroa took second giving the IronPigs a 1-0 lead. Bryan De La Cruz followed with an RBI double to center making it 2-0.

In the bottom of the inning Walker Jenkins walked and Major League rehabber Royce Lewis followed with a two-run homer to left, his first of the season, tying the game at two. Lewis went 1-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored.

Tanner Schobel gave the Saints the lead in the fourth with a solo home run over the batter's eye in center field, his first of the season, making it 3-2. He becomes the 10th player in CHS Field history (2015), to hit one over the batter's eye and eighth Saints player. The last player to homer over the batter's eye was Yunior Severino June 28, 2025.

Three straight singles to start the fifth for the IronPigs loaded the bases with nobody out as Christian Cairo, Carter Kieboom, and Caleb Ricketts got things started. A ground ball double play by Óscar Mercardo scored a run tying the game at four. A wild pitch by Raul Brito plated Kieboom giving the IronPigs a 4-3 lead. A walk to Robert Moore was the last batter Brito faced and Marco Raya took over. A stolen base and an RBI single from Alcántara increased the lead to 5-3. Alcántara stole second and scored on a single to right by Berroa making it 6-3.

The Saints hit their third home run of the game, and it was the most impressive. Emmanuel Rodriguez hit the hardest ball in franchise history, 117.1 mph bullet over the right field wall, his fourth of the season, getting the Saints within 6-4. The 117.1 mph homer was 1.5 mph harder than any ball in franchise history and tied for the second hardest hit ball in all of baseball this season (Oneil Cruz, 119.0 mph).

Orlando Arcia cut the deficit to one with a solo homer to left, his third of the season, getting the Saints to within 6-5.

Moore got the run back in the eighth with a leadoff solo homer to right, his second of the season, pushing the lead back to two at 7-5.

The IronPigs added three insurance runs in the ninth to put the game out of reach. With one out Cairo dropped down a bunt single to third. Kieboom reached on a double to right when Rodriguez stumbled to the ground trying to catch it that put runners at second and third. Ricketts two-run double to left increased the lead to 9-5. With two outs and Ricketts at third, the IronPigs pulled off a double steal as Moore stole second and Ricketts broke for home as catcher Alex Jackson threw down to second and the ball went into center field as Ricketts score giving the IronPigs a 10-5 lead.

Aaron Sabato capped off the five homer game for the Saints with a solo blast to left, his first of the season, making it 10-6.

The five home runs were the most hit by the Saints since they tied a franchise record with eight on June 13, 2024 at Louisville. It's the most they've hit at home since they hit six on September 8, 2021 vs. Omaha. It was also only the second time they lost a game in which they hit at least five home runs, losing 16-9 on June 10, 2021 when they hit five at CHS Field against Omaha

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field at 2:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Klein (1-0, 7.94) to the mound against IronPigs LHP Tucker Davidson (0-1, 5.79). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network presented by Northland Ford Dealers, 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.

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International League Stories from April 18, 2026


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