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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints' Offense Stymied in 5-1 Loss to Storm Chasers

August 31, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints offense put up 23 runs over their last two games. On Wednesday night they met their kryptonite in the form of Omaha Storm Chasers starting pitcher, Marcelo Martinez. The Saints struck out nine times against Martinez for the second time this season, losing 5-1 on Wednesday night at CHS Field.

The game was a pitchers duel through the first three innings with Saints starter Louie Varland matching Martinez.

With the game scoreless in the fourth, the Storm Chasers struck first. Varland hit the leadoff batter, Nick Loftin. With one out, Freddy Fermin doubled to center sending Loftin to third. A sacrifice fly from Jackson Reetz gave the Storm Chasers a 1-0 lead.

The Storm Chasers made it 2-0 in the fifth courtesy of a leadoff homer from Dairon Blanco, his 11th of the season. Varland then was forced to leave the game following the very next hitter when Clay Dungan hit a line drive off the lower body of Varland. The ball fell at Varland's feet and he threw to first to record the out, but came out of the game. Varland went 4.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three.

The Saints got their lone run in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Wallner led off with a double down the right field line. He took third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball getting the Saints to within 2-1. Martinez went 6.0 innings allowing one unearned run on seven hits while walking two and fanning nine.

In the seventh, however, the Storm Chasers regained their two-run lead against Cole Sands, who after throwing a perfect sixth, gave up a leadoff single to Logan Porter. A sacrifice bunt moved Porter to second and a two-out single from Iván Castillo plated Porter increasing the Storm Chasers lead to 3-1. Sands went 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out one.

The Storm Chasers extended the lead in the eighth plating a pair of runs. Loftin led off with a single to left. He stole second and scored on a Brewer Hicklen double making it 4-1. Hicklen took third on a groundout and two batters later Blanco doubled him home making it 5-1.

The same two teams meet in the third game of the six-game series on Thursday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ronny Henriquez (2-4, 5.79) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Drew Parrish (3-6, 5.13). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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