Saints hold on to down I-Cubs 8-7 in series finale

The St. Paul Saints came out swinging early and built control of the game from the start, putting immediate pressure on Iowa pitching. They struck first in the opening innings and kept the momentum rolling with a series of quality at-bats, turning base runners into runs with timely hits. Key contributions throughout the lineup helped St. Paul steadily widen the gap, and by the middle innings, the offense had created clear separation.

That offensive surge peaked in the sixth inning, when the Saints pushed their advantage to 8-1. Extra-base hits and run-producing swings defined the stretch, with multiple players delivering in big moments to break the game open. It was a well-rounded effort that combined aggressive baserunning with situational hitting, putting Iowa in a deep hole entering the late innings.

The Iowa Cubs didn’t fade, though. They began chipping away in the seventh with three runs, then added another in the eighth to keep the pressure on. A late home run and continued traffic on the bases helped them carry that momentum into the ninth, where they plated two more runs to suddenly make it an 8-7 game. Kevin Alcántara was among those contributing offensively during the comeback push, as Iowa forced the Saints into a high-stress finish.

The final inning turned into a tense battle. With the bases loaded, two outs, and a full 3-2 count, the game came down to one pitch. Grant Hartwig delivered it, striking out the final batter to secure the save and seal an 8-7 win.

A scary moment in the 6th when Walker Jenkins, Minnesota Twins number one prospect, made a spectacular catch in center field but crashed into the wall on the play. Jenkins had to leave the game, briefly overshadowing an otherwise strong showing by St. Paul.