Saints’ Late Game Rally Falls Just Short in 11-9 Loss to Storm Chasers
September 2, 2022 – International League (IL) – St. Paul Saints News Release
ST. PAUL, MN – It was an eight run eighth inning on Thursday night that put the game away for the St. Paul Saints. On Friday night it was a seven run eighth inning that nearly brought the Saints all the way back. Unfortunately, in the end they lost 11-9 to the Omaha Storm Chasers at CHS Field in front of 6,025.
With the Saints down 10-2 going into the bottom of the eighth they came storming back as they sent 12 men to the plate. With one out Mark Contreras doubled and Cole Sturgeon singled him to third. After a fielder’s choice by Braden Bishop scored Contreras to make it 10-3, the Saints offense got rolling. Nash Knight singled and Andrew Bechtold walked to load the bases. Helman made it 10-5 with a two-run single to center. Matt Wallner then walked to load the bases. After a pitching change, Chris Williams dropped a two-run single into center cutting the deficit to 10-7. Jermaine Palacios reached on an error that allowed Wallner to score getting the Saints to within 10-8. With runners at first and second, the Saints got an unfortunate bounce off the bat of Contreras. He roped a ball into the right field corner and the ball hopped up over the side wall for a ground rule double as only one run was able to score getting the Saints to within 10-9. The inning ended on a strikeout of Sturgeon.
The Storm Chasers got an insurance run in the ninth on a solo homer from Brewer Hicklen, his second of the night and 27th of the season, making it 11-9.
The Saints struck first in the first as Michael Helman led off with a single off the shortstop Clay Dungan’s glove. Helman stole second and scored on a two out double from Jermaine Palacios making it 1-0.
Saints starter Simeon Woods Richardson pitched well. The only run he allowed came in the second as the Storm Chasers knotted the game at one when Freddy Fermin led off with a walk. He moved to second on a passed ball and took third on a single from Logan Porter. Dungan then hit a groundball to first and Chris Williams picked it up, touched first for the out and then got Porter in a rundown. Porter was finally tagged out, but not before Fermin scored tying the game at one. Woods Richardson allowed one more hit, a two-out triple in the third, before retiring the last seven batters he faced. Woods Richardson went 5.0 innings allowing one unearned run on two hits while walking one and striking out three.
With two outs and nobody on in the fourth, the Saints found a way to take the lead. Sturgeon drew a walk, moved to second on an infield single from Braden Bishop, and scored on a Knight single to right making it 2-1 Saints.
The Storm Chasers grabbed the lead for good in the seventh. Hicklen led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his 26th of the season, tying the game at two. Fermin and Jackson Reetz followed with back-to-back singles. Porter walked to load the bases. After a fielder’s choice erased the runner at the plate, Gabriel Cancel made it 4-2 with a two-run double to left-center. Jimmy Govern added an RBI double to right giving the Storm Chasers a 5-2 lead. Dairon Blanco made it 6-2 with an RBI single to left.
For the second consecutive inning, the Storm Chasers sent nine men to the plate and plated four in the eighth. With one on and two outs, Porter hit a two-run homer to left, his second of the season, making it 8-2. Dungan doubled and Cancel doubled him home increasing the lead to 9-2. Govern then followed with an RBI single to make it 10-2.
The same two teams meet in game five of the six-game series on Saturday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-6, 9.06) to the mound against Storm Chasers RH Max Castillo (3-1, 3.43). The game can be seen on FOX9+ and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
