Scorching Hot Julien's Walk-off Single Wins It for Saints, 6-5

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Scorching Hot Julien's Walk-off Single Wins It for Saints, 6-5

June 27, 2025 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Edouard Julien entered Friday night's game with a 1.006 OPS in 22 June games. Despite being hitless in his first four at bats, Julien stepped up when it counted most as his walk-off single sent the St. Paul Saints to a 6-5 victory over the Louisville Bats at CHS Field in front of 8,286.

With the game tied at four in the top of the ninth, the Bats grabbed the lead. A walk came back to bite the Saints when Will Banfield led off the inning with a free pass. Pinch runner Trey Faltine was sacrificed to second and scored on a Bryson Brigman single to left-center putting the Bats up 5-4.

In the bottom of the inning, the Saints rallied off hard throwing righty Luis Mey. Payton Eeles led off the inning with a single to left-center. After a walk to Jeferson Morales put runners at first and second, Will Holland sacrificed the runners. With the infield back, Noah Cardenas' slow ground out to third scored Eeles tying the game at five. Pinch hitter Anthony Prato was then hit by a pitch, setting a new franchise record with his 27th in his Saints career. That brought up Julien who took the first pitch he saw and lined it into right-center scoring Morales for the walk-off winner.

Both starting pitchers were fantastic through the first three innings, each allowing just one hit. Saints starter Cory Lewis made one mistake and it came in the fourth when Levi Jordan hit a solo homer to left, his sixth of the season, giving the Bats a 1-0 lead. Lewis went 5.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out six.

The Saints made it 10 consecutive games with a home run in the fifth when the bottom of the order came through. Jose Miranda led off the inning with a double to left and that was followed by a walk to Eeles. With one out Holland crushed a three-run homer to left-center, his fourth of the season, giving the Saints a 3-1 lead. Holland finished the night 2-3 with a home run, three RBI, and a run scored.

That lead didn't last long. In the sixth Francisco Urbaez led off with a single to right-center and that was followed by a two-run homer to straightaway center by Edwin Rios, his 14th of the season, tying the game at three. Levi Jordan then walked, stole second, and took third on a throwing error by the catcher Noah Cardenas. Three batters later and P.J. Higgins gave the Bats a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly.

With two outs and nobody on in the sixth, the Saints tied it. Jose Miranda walked and went to second on a single to right by Eeles. Morales then lined an RBI single into left knotting the game at four that set the stage for the dramatic ending.

The same two teams meet in a doubleheader on Saturday evening, games four and five of the six-game series, at CHS Field with game one beginning at 4:07 p.m. In game one the Saints send RHP Marco Raya (0-3, 7.59) to the mound against Bats RHP Jose Franco (NR). In game two the Saints send RHP José Ureña (NR) to the mound against Bats RHP Aaron Wilkerson (4-2, 4.76). Both games can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twins Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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