Hitting multiple home runs has become commonplace for the St. Paul Saints. They entered play on Sunday afternoon needed four home runs to break a record in a league that has been around for more than 110 years. And hit four home runs they did to set the International League single-season home run mark, but it wasn’t enough in a 10-6 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens at CHS Field in front of 7,189.
Aaron Sabato delivered for the Saints in the first inning with a solo homer to left-center, his 22nd of the season, making it 1-0. Sabato went 2-5 with a double, his 28th of the season tying the Saints single-season record, home run, RBI, and a run scored.
After that, however, it was the Mud Hens putting up 10 runs over the fourth and fifth innings. Nine men came to the plate in the fourth for the Mud Hens as they grabbed the lead with the first four hitters reaching. Justin Peck led off with a single to right-center, Max Anderson singled to center, and Cal Stevenson reached on a sacrifice bunt when pitcher Aaron Rozek’s throw to first pulled Aaron Sabato off the bag to load the bases. Seby Zavala roped a two-run double to left putting the Mud Hens up 2-1. An RBI groundout from Jace Jung increased the lead to 3-1. With two outs Max Burt dropped a fly ball RBI double into right-center upping the lead to 4-1. Burt took third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball making it 5-1.
Kala’i Rosario punched back for the Saints in the bottom of the inning as he led off with a solo homer to left, his first of the game, third in the last two games and sixth of the season, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Ben Ross followed with an infield single to third, and with one out, Tanner Schobel walked putting runners at first and second. Ian Daugherty then made it 5-3 with an RBI single to right-center.
For the second consecutive inning the Mud Hens put up five runs and four came on one swing. The Mud Hens loaded the bases on a Peck single, a walk to Anderson, and a one out single by Zavala. Jung followed with a grand slam putting the Mud Hens up 9-3. With two outs Burt walked, Riley Greene singled him to third, and scored on Trei Cruz’ infield single to short upping the lead to 10-3.
The bottom two in the Saints order reached in the sixth as Tanner Schobel singled to right and Daugherty was hit by a pitch. Emmanuel Rodriguez cut the deficit to 10-4 with an RBI single to right.
The tying and record breaking home runs came in the seventh. For the second straight day Rosario had a two homer game as he drove a one out solo homer to left, his seventh of the season, getting the Saints to withing 10-5. Rosario went 3-5 with a double, two homers, two RBI, and two runs scored. It was the 231st homer of the season for the Saints, tying the International League record. With two outs and nobody on Cody Morissette set the record. He delivered a solo shot to right, his 12th of the season, 11th with the Saints, making it 10-6. It was the 232nd home run of the season for the Saints, topping the 231 hit by the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2021. The International League dates back to 1912.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night at Werner Park to take on the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals) at 6:35 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ryan Gallagher (5-7, 6.78) and the Storm Chasers are TBA.
(info courtesy of Saints Baseball)
