Walks Hurt Saints In 6-5 Game One Loss To Storm Chasers

PAPILLION, NE (August 30, 2024) - The St. Paul Saints walked eight Omaha Storm Chasers in game one of the doubleheader on Friday evening. Four of those eight came into score. Despite outhitting the Storm Chasers 11-4, the Saints fell 6-5 at Werner Park.

For the first time in the series the Saints trailed as the Storm Chasers got on the board first in the first. With one out Ryan Fitzgerald walked. Drew Waters followed with an RBI double to right-center giving the Storm Chasers a 1-0 lead. With two outs Nelson Velázquez made it 2-0 with a single into left field.

The Saints knotted the game at two in the third. Anthony Prato led off with an infield single to second and went to third on a double to left by Michael Helman. A Brooks Lee RBI groundout cut the deficit to 2-1. Lee finished the game 0-4 with an RBI. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. tied the game at two with a double just inside the chalk down the left field line.

Velázquez hurt the Saints in the bottom of the third, giving the Storm Chasers the lead back. With one out, back-to-back walks to Fitzgerald and Waters put runners at first and second. With two outs Velázquez roped a two-run double to left-center giving the Storm Chasers a 4-2 lead.

With one out in the top of the fourth Jeferson Morales doubled to left, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a ground out from Chris Williams as the Saints cut the deficit to 4-3.

In the fifth, the Saints tied the game as Yunior Severino doubled down the left field line, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Jair Camargo infield single to third.

The walks continued to hurt the Saints in the fifth. Geovanny Gallegos retired the first two batters he faced before walking the bases loaded. He then unloaded a wild pitch that allowed Nick Pratto to score. As the catcher Camargo went to get the ball, he shoveled it to the plate and it went wide of Gallegos to the first base side of foul territory allowing Devin Mann to score from second giving the Storm Chasers a 6-4 lead.

The Saints had a chance in the seventh. With two outs and nobody on Severino lined a single into center. Camargo then singled off the first base bag putting runners at the corners. Payton Eeles made it 6-5 with a check swing infield single to third. With the tying run at second and the go ahead run at first, Morales lined out to left ending the game.