Lynch Throws Gem and Chasers hit Four Homers in 9-2 Omaha win

SAINT PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers jumped ahead early and led nearly the entire night with a 9-2 win over the St. Paul Saints Saturday at CHS Field.

After leading for just one inning over the first four games of the series, Omaha jumped out early in the top of the second, as second baseman Kevin Padlo blasted a two-run homer to left field for a 2-0 Storm Chasers lead, an advantage the team held onto the rest of the way.

CJ Alexander and Brian O’Keefe connected for back-to-back doubles in the third, with Alexander driving in O’Keefe for a 3-0 lead. Alexander’s extra-base hit was his first of three in the game, while O’Keefe extended his career-best on-base streak to 21 games and tied a career-best hitting streak at 12. Tyler Gentry singled in Padlo for a 4-0 Omaha advantage in the 4^th.

Three more home runs blew the game open, beginning with two in the sixth inning. John Rave hit a solo shot with two outs to tie for the team lead, his 16^th of the year, then Gentry singled and Alexander blasted a two-run shot, his 13^th of the season.

Nate Eaton joined the home run parade in the seventh with a two-run blast that plated Nelson Velázquez, his 12^th long ball of the year, for the final runs of the game.

The nine runs of support were more than enough for Omaha starter Daniel Lynch IV, who came an out away from tying the longest outing of his career. Lynch fired his eighth quality start of the season, holding the Saints to two runs over 7.2 innings of work, the first Storm Chaser starter since 2019 to pitch into the 8^th inning. The only damage done against Lynch came on a two-run homer in the fourth inning, with the southpaw firing three perfect innings and striking out six with no walks.

Lynch exited at exactly 100 pitches after allowing a two-out double in the eighth and right-hander Tyler Duffey stranded the inherited runner before working a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish a 9-2 Omaha win.