Saints early offense carries them to win

The St. Paul Saints powered past the Iowa Cubs 9-5 on Tuesday afternoon at CHS Field in a game defined by relentless power at the plate. St. Paul wasted no time setting the tone, jumping out to a 5-0 first inning behind a leadoff homer from Kaelen Culpepper and a three-run shot from Kyler Fedko. Gabby Gonzalez added another blast in the second as the Saints built an early six-run cushion.

Iowa answered with home run power of its own, launching four total long balls, including a solo shot from former University of Minnesota standout Brett Bateman and a two-run homer by James Triantos in the third inning. Despite the Cubs’ efforts to claw back, St. Paul continued to match every push with more offense, never allowing Iowa to seriously threaten after the early surge.

Culpepper delivered one of the standout performances of the day, finishing with two home runs, three hits, and two RBI. Emmanuel Rodriguez was equally dominant, also blasting two homers, including a fifth-inning rocket over the right field wall. Rodriguez’s second homer in the seventh helped further secure the Saints’ lead and capped a huge offensive afternoon.

By the final out, the Saints had six home runs while the two clubs combined for 10 total, marking one of the most power-filled games in the team’s history. The win showcased St. Paul’s explosive lineup and reinforced why both teams rank among the International League’s most dangerous home run hitters.