Ricardo Olivar homers in St. Paul debut, Saints fall to Bats 11-7

Ricardo Olivar gave St. Paul the kind of moment that can travel fast, but the Saints could not turn it into a win. In his fifth game with the club, Olivar hit his first Triple-A home run and finished with a 2-for-4 night, a double, three RBI and two runs scored, yet the Saints still fell 11-7 to Louisville at Louisville Slugger Field on May 29.

The power burst was real enough to put St. Paul in front. Ben Ross drew a walk, Olivar doubled to the wall, and Hendry Mendez and Royce Lewis followed with the kind of productive contact that pushed the Saints ahead 3-1 in the third inning. A frame later, Olivar made the biggest swing of the night, unloading a two-run homer to left that stretched the lead to 5-1 and seemed to put St. Paul in control.

That cushion did not last. Louisville answered with the sort of offense that can flip a Triple-A game quickly, starting with Michael Toglia’s 12th home run of the season in the second inning. The Bats kept piling on from there, putting together a surge in the fourth and continuing to pressure St. Paul until they had taken command of the game.

For the Saints, the loss was a study in both promise and frustration. Olivar arrived in St. Paul with a reputation for crushing Double-A pitching at Wichita, and he wasted no time showing the same thump against Triple-A arms. His first home run at the level was the sort of milestone that signals a prospect’s bat may be ready for the next challenge, especially when it comes in a game where he also doubled and drove in three runs.

But the bigger question for St. Paul is how often it can cash in when a young hitter delivers a headline swing. The lineup did enough early to build a multi-run lead on the road, only to watch Louisville string together enough hits and power to erase it. In a league built on pressure and response, the Saints got the breakthrough bat they wanted from Olivar. They just could not match it on the mound.