Hicklen Earns Fourth Multi-Home Run Game of the Season
September 2, 2022 – International League (IL) – Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – In a game that saw a combined 17 run in the final three innings, the Storm Chasers held on to take game four from CHS Field. With the 11-9 win, the series is now tied, and Omaha (60-66) holds a 12-10 season series lead over St. Paul (61-64).
St. Paul got on the board in the first inning when Jermain Palacios doubled to score Lincoln, Nebraska native Michael Helmen. Palacios tried to score on the next ball in play, but center fielder Dairon Blanco threw him out at home to end the inning and leave the score at 1-0.
Designated hitter Freddy Fermin drew a walk in the second inning to extend his on-base streak to 25 games, moving to second on a passed ball. Fermin went to third on an infield single from first baseman Logan Porter before Clay Dungan grounded into a double play. Fermin was able to score on the double-play, crossing the plate before Porter was tagged out.
The Saints put a two-out rally together in the fourth, but only scored one. Nash Knight gave St. Paul the lead back, but left-hander Austin Cox battled through a couple of hits and a couple of walks to finish the inning with a strikeout to leave Omaha’s deficit at one run heading into the fifth.
Cox (Win, 6-7) would gut out a 6.0-inning start, throwing a season-high 103 pitches. He allowed two earned runs with four strikeouts. Cox would walk off the mound after the sixth in line for the loss before Omaha’s offense got him the win.
In the seventh, right-fielder Brewer Hicklen hit a solo home run to tie the score, but the Storm Chasers had more brewing. Second baseman Gabriel Cancel hit an RBI double that would score two more runs before third baseman Clay Dungan hit another RBI double for Omaha to score Cancel. Blanco capped off the inning with an RBI single to give the Storm Chasers a 6-2 lead.
Omaha kept the bats hot in the eighth, putting up four runs in the frame. Porter hit a two-run homer to start the scoring in the inning. Cancel and third baseman Jimmy Govern each earned RBI hits to put Omaha ahead 10-2.
St. Paul exploded in the eighth, cutting deeply into Omaha’s lead. Mark Contreras would hit a ground-rule double, to score the Saints seventh run of the inning and put the score at 10-9 heading into the ninth.
Hicklen hit his 27th home run of the season and second homer of the night in the ninth inning, giving Omaha another run of cushion.
Right-hander Ándres Núñez got the final out in the eighth before completing the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
The Storm Chasers and Saints will square off on Saturday in game five-of-six. First pitch is set for 7:07 p.m. with coverage starting at 6:45 p.m. on the on the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone. Omaha looks to send right-hander Max Castillo (3-1, 3.43) to the hill while St. Paul is set to start Jordan Balazovic.
After this road trip to St. Paul, Omaha will return to Werner Park for a seven-game series against the Indianapolis Indians. The series opener against the Indians is slated for 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6.
The series against Indianapolis features Stem Educators night on Friday, September 9, presented by Meta & Olsson. Omaha will also host First Responders Day, presented by Werner Enterprises, on Sunday, September 11.
For more tickets and more information, please visit omahastormchasers.com, call the Werner Park Ticket office at (402) 738-5100, and follow the team on social media. You can follow the team on Twitter @omastormchasers, on Instagram @omahastormchasers, and “like” the team on Facebook at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.
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