The St. Paul Saints got stellar pitching from top prospect Louie Varland and the bullpen to put down the Rochester Red Wings 5-1 on Thursday morning at Innovative Field in Rochester, N.Y.

Varland, a former North St. Paul High School and Concordia-St. Paul star, gave up four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings to improve to 2-0 with the Triple-A Saints, who improved to 15-8. Relievers Cole Sands and Jorge Alcala mopped up to preserve the victory.

Mark Contreras’ three-run homer to right in the first inning got the Saints out to a 3-0 lead. The Saints tacked on two insurance runs in the ninth, scoring on Tony Wolters’ bloop single to left and Edouardo Julien’s bases-loaded walk.

Contreras finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs.

Rochester scored its only run in the fifth when Richie Martin led off with a single, stole second, then scored on a two-out single by Darren Baker to cut the Saints’ lead to 3-1.