Taj Bradley Stymies I-Cubs Bats, But Saints Lose 7-4
IL St. Paul Saints

Taj Bradley Stymies I-Cubs Bats, But Saints Lose 7-4

Published on August 6, 2025 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - For the second time in three games the St. Paul Saints started a pitcher that came over in one of the many trades made by the Minnesota Twins. On Wednesday afternoon it was Taj Bradley's turn to take the hill and he did not disappoint over his 6.0 innings of work. Unfortunately, a six-run seventh inning was too much for the Saints to comeback from in a 7-4 loss to the Iowa Cubs at CHS Field in front of 9,002.

The Saints grabbed the lead in the third when Noah Cardenas led off the inning with a single to left, moved to second on a ground out, took third on a fly out, and scored on an infield single to third by Kyler Fedkso making it 1-0.

Bradley faced the minimum through the first four innings allowing a leadoff single in both the second and fourth, but getting double plays in both innings.

One swing by the I-Cubs tied it in the fifth as Chase Strumpf hit a solo homer to left-center, his 10 th of the season. Bradley would give up a two-out single to Dixon Machado followed by a double from Darius Hill putting runners at second and third. He got out of the inning without further damage by getting Parker Chavers to ground out to end the inning.

Bradley would finish his day by retiring the side in order in the sixth. He went 6.0 innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out four. He threw 73 pitches, 47 for strikes with his fastball averaging 95.6 mph and topping out at 97.6 mph.

Brooklyn Park native, and Osseo High grad John Klein, made his Triple-A debut in the seventh inning, but it didn't go as he envisioned. Jonathon Long led off with a walk. With one out Ben Cowles lined a single off Klein's calf and Dixon Machado singled to right loading the bases. From there it was four consecutive hitters driving in a run: Hill's RBI single, Chavers' bases loaded walk, James Triantos a two-run double, and Caleb Knight a two-run single putting the I-Cubs up 7-1.

In the ninth, the Saints made it interesting. With one out DaShawn Keirsey Jr. singled to center. With two outs Jose Miranda drew a walk. Cardenas then delivered a three-run homer to left-center, his seventh of the season, getting the Saints to within three at 7-4. Anthony Prato then singled and that prompted a pitching change by the I-Cubs. With the tying run in the on deck circle, James Outman struck out on three pitches to end the game.

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 LHP Kendry Rojas (0-1, 10.80) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Brandon Birdsell (1-0, 2.57). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.




International League Stories from August 6, 2025


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