The Gift of Gab: Gonzalez' Two-Run Ninth Inning Homer Leads Saints to 5-4 Comeback Victory over Mud Hens
IL St. Paul Saints

The Gift of Gab: Gonzalez' Two-Run Ninth Inning Homer Leads Saints to 5-4 Comeback Victory over Mud Hens

Published on August 26, 2025 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


TOLEDO, OH - The night started with the much-anticipated hype of the Triple-A debut of Minnesota Twins #1 prospect, the 20-year-old Walker Jenkins. It ended with the "elder statesman," 21-year-old Gabby Gonzalez delivering a two-run, go-ahead ninth inning homer as the St. Paul Saints defeated the Toledo Mud Hens 5-4 at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday night.

With the Saints down a run going into the ninth DaShawn Keirsey Jr. reached on a one out walk snapping a string of 14 Saints hitters retired in a row. With two outs Gonzalez stepped to the plate. He demolished a 1-1 slider, 409 feet over the left field wall, his second homer of the season, putting the Saints up 5-4.

The Saints, who had lost five games over the last two weeks when either tied or leading in the ninth, had to hang on in the bottom of the ninth. With one out Kevin Newman doubled into left field. That was followed by a walk to Trei Cruz. Travis Adams, however, would settle down and strike out Gage Workman and get Brian Serven to fly out to right to end the game.

Major League rehabber Pablo López made his third overall start for the Saints, second time on his current injury. The Mud Hens jumped on him immediately. Three batters into the game and the Mud Hens jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Hao-Yu Lee started the first inning with a double down the first base line. Akil Baddoo then tripled to right-center scoring Lee making it 1-0. That was followed by a Justyn-Henry Malloy RBI single.

Workman made it 3-0 when he took a López fastball on the outer third and turned on it, hitting a solo homer over the right field wall, his 10th of the season. López went 4.0 innings allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five. He threw 68 pitches, 46 for strikes. He got 11 swings and misses on 16 change ups while his fastball averaged 93.8 mph and topped out at 95.2 mph and his sinker averaged 92.9 mph.

Meanwhile, former Saints pitcher Randy Dobnak opposed them and was unhittable through the first three innings. He retired all nine men he faced while striking out seven of the nine hitters.

It took a couple walks and an error for the Saints to finally break through in the fourth. Payton Eeles led off the inning with a walk. Walker Jenkins then hit a ground ball to second that was booted by Max Anderson putting runners at first and second. Kyler Fedko dumped a single into left loading the bases. An RBI fielder's choice by DaShawn Keirsey Jr., that erased Fedko at second, got the Saints on the board making it 3-1. After a walk to Jhonny Pereda loaded the bases, Gonzalez singled into left-center driving home a pair and tying the game at three. Gonzalez finished the night 2-4 with a home run, four RBI, and a run scored.

Both offenses went silent after that. Following a leadoff double by Anderson in the bottom of the fourth for the Mud Hens, a total of 24 combined hitters were retired until a leadoff double by Serven in the eighth. With two outs the Mud Hens took the lead when Malloy's ground ball up the middle ricocheted off of Eeles and into center field as the error allowed the run to score giving the Mud Hens a 4-3 lead. That would just set the stage for the ninth inning dramatics. Jenkins finished his debut 0-4 with a run scored. In his other level debuts he went 2-4 with the FCL Twins, 0-4 at Single-A Fort Myers, 0-3 with High-A Cedar Rapids, and 0-4 with Double-A Wichita.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series at Fifth Third Field on Wednesday night at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints send LHP Kendry Rojas (1-1, 6.62) to the mound against Mud Hens RHP Troy Watson (3-0, 1.73). The game can be heard on KDAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from August 26, 2025


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