An all-gun cruiser group against Soviet escorts

Could a 1972 surface action group built around USS Saint Paul defeat two Soviet cruisers and their destroyer screen in an all-gun fight?

Probably: Saint Paul is less decisive than Newport News, but the American cruiser and destroyers still give the group the edge.

Replacing Newport News with the Baltimore-class Saint Paul leaves the American group favoured, though by a smaller margin. The American destroyers now have to contribute actively instead of leaving the heavy cruiser to dominate alone. Soviet redundancy makes the opposing cruisers hard to disable, yet sustained eight-inch gunfire could cripple one before a torpedo attack decided the action. Escort quality, refits, and damage tolerance matter as much as a comparison between the two largest ships.