Saint Paul, Minnesota - It was hot and humid at CHS Field on Tuesday night. However, the bats were hot too. The Saints collected fourteen hits in a 14-7 win over the Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers) in front of 7,109. The Saints improved to 56-40 on the season. 

Louie Varland started for St. Paul. Varland worked 3.2 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits while striking out four. While that is not the most impressive final line, one thing that was impressive was his command of the strike zone. He threw 85 pitches and 63 of them were strikes (74%). Also, Caleb Thielbar was on an MLB Rehab Assignment. He worked 1.0 inning throwing 14 pitches. 

The Saints offense would pick Varland up. In the second, Gilberto Celestino hit his third homerun of the season and the Saints took a 1-0 lead. 

In the third, Justyn-Henry Malloy led off the inning with a single. Next, Colt Keith struck out swinging and Tyler Nevin singled. A double from Joe Rizzo would tie the game at one. Finally, Donny Sands hit his fourth homerun of the season. This went to left field and Toledo took a 4-1 lead. 

Alex De Goti started the bottom of the third with a walk. Andrew Stevenson singled and Jorge Polanco (MLB Rehab Assignment) walked, and the bases were loaded with nobody out. Chris Williams hit a sacrifice fly to left field, which allowed Stevenson to score. 

In the fourth, Parker Meadows singled and with two outs Colt Keith singled. With runners at first and second Saints catcher Jair Camargo attempted to pickoff Keith at first; however, the ball went down the right field line and both runners advanced. Tyler Nevin singled to right, which brought home Malloy and Keith, and Toledo led 6-2. 

Just as the Saints have done all night, they once again have an answer. Austin Martin singled and with two outs De Goti walked. Andrew Stevenson hit his 12th homerun of the season. At this point the Saints trailed 6-5. 

Gilberto Celestino started the fifth with a walk. Next, Anthony Prato doubled, which allowed Celestino to score, and this tied the game at six. Finally, De Goti singled and Prato scored, and the Saints took a 7-6 lead. 

Toledo would tie the game at seven when Rizzo doubled, and Grant Witherspoon picked up an RBI single in the seventh. 

These teams would keep going back and forth until the Saints were able to have a breakout inning to pull away. Prato started the inning with a solo homerun to left centerfield. Stevenson, Polanco, and Williams all walked, and the bases were loaded. Celestion doubled, which drove in Stevenson and Polanco. Tony Wolters walked, and Mark Contreras hit an RBI single to take a 12-7 lead. Finally, Prato would get his second hit of the inning, which allowed Wolters to score. St. Paul took a 13-7 lead. 

The Saints would add an insurance run an inning later. Stevenson led off with a double. Kyle Garlick and Chris Williams are both hit-by-the-pitch. Tony Wolters walked, which forced in Stevenson. The Saints would hold on to a 14-7 lead to secure the win. 

Stevenson and Prato both finished a triple shy of the cycle. 

The Toledo Mud Hens and St. Paul Saints meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday afternoon at CHS Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. Toledo is TBA while the Saints will send LHP Brent Headrick (3-1, 3.76). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, the Bally Live app, MiLB.TV, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.