Wind Aided: Saints Lose Fourth Straight 12-7 to I-Cubs

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IL St. Paul Saints

Wind Aided: Saints Lose Fourth Straight 12-7 to I-Cubs

May 16, 2025 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - With steady winds of 25 mph and gusts over 40 mph, the ball was flying at Principal Park on Friday night between the St. Paul Saints and Iowa Cubs. The teams combined for 19 runs on 29 hits, 13 extra base hits, including seven home runs, but in the end the Saints were overpowered in a 12-7 loss. It was their fourth consecutive defeat at the hands of the I-Cubs.

The first inning was a foreshadowing of things to come. The Saints jumped out in the first as Edouard Julien led off the game with a solo homer to center, his first of the season, making it 1-0. Mickey Gasper followed with a walk and, with one out, Mike Ford hit a fly ball to center that Kevin Alcántara had trouble playing because of the wind and the ball fell out of his reach for a double putting runners at second and third. Jose Miranda followed with a wind aided double to right scoring Gasper giving the Saints a 2-0 lead.

Turn about was fair play for the I-Cubs in the bottom of the inning as Matt Shaw led off with a solo homer to right, his fifth of the season and third in his last five at bats, cutting the lead to 2-1. Owen Caissie singled to center and Jonathon Long tied it at two with an RBI triple to right. The I-Cubs completed the first inning cycle as Carlos Pérez' RBI double made it 3-2. With two outs, Greg Allen walked and an infield single to short by Chase Strumpf scored Pérez making it 4-2 I-Cubs.

Carson McCusker got one back for the Saints in the second. With one out Will Holland singled to left and Julien walked. With two outs, McCusker lined an RBI single into center, getting the Saints to within 4-3.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the third, the I-Cubs managed to plate three runs. They loaded the bases on back-to-back singles and a walk. Caissie then lined a two-run single into right, the ball skipped passed McCusker allowing the third run to score giving the I-Cubs a 7-3 lead.

Two long balls tied the game for the Saints in the fourth. Julien led off the inning with a walk and Mickey Gasper followed with a two-run blast to right, his seventh of the season, cutting the deficit to 7-5. With one out Ford doubled to right and with two outs Emmanuel Rodriguez crushed one over the right-center field wall, his third of the season, tying the game at seven.

Shaw came calling again for the I-Cubs in the fifth. Dixon Machado reached on a one out single and reliever Richard Lovelady departed the game with an injury. That forced Jaylen Nowlin into the game and the second pitch he threw was hit over the center field wall by Shaw, his second of the game and sixth of the season, giving the I-Cubs a 9-7 lead.

Strumpf delivered a solo homer to left in the sixth, his eighth of the season, making it 10-7.

The league's third best hitter, Long, delivered a solo homer to left in the seventh, his fourth of the season, giving the I-Cubs an 11-7 lead.

The I-Cubs scored for the sixth time in eight innings when they put up a run in the eighth. James Triantos led off the inning with a single to center, stole second, and scored on a two-out double to left-center by Machado making it 12-7.

The same two teams meet in game six of a seven-game series on Saturday night at 6:08 p.m. at Principal Park. The Saints send RHP David Festa (2-1, 3.6) to the mound and the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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