IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Ride Fast Start to 7-4 Victory over Storm Chasers

June 30, 2021 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints offense is starting to click up and down the lineup. For the second time in two night's they jumped out to an early lead, but this time the game was a little tighter. A solid start from Andrew Albers also helped in a 7-4 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Wednesday night at CHS Field in front of 5,610.

Just like on Tuesday night the Saints grabbed the early lead on the Storm Chasers in the first with a home run. After a walk to JT Riddle the Saints home run leader, Brent Rooker, clubbed his 13th home run of the season and second in as many games, a two-run shot to right, to give the Saints a 2-0 lead.

In the second, the bottom of the Saints order helped tack on a run. With Jimmy Kerrigan on at first and one out, Drew Stankiewicz singled to center moving Kerrigan to second. Roberto Peña came through with an RBI single to increase the Saints lead to 3-0.

In the third the Saints showed the power again. Rooker led off the inning with the walk and two batters later Mark Contreras hit his second home run in as many games, a two-run blast to right, his sixth of the season, making it 5-0.

The Storm Chasers answered in the fourth with three doubles in the inning. Erick Mejia led off the inning with a double to left. With one out, Ryan McBroom doubled to right-center, but Mejia had to hold at second to make sure it wasn't caught and only advanced to third. With two outs, however, Bubba Starling doubled off the wall in right scoring both runs cutting the Saints lead to 5-2.

The Storm Chasers used the long ball in the sixth to get a run closer as Ryan McBroom led off the inning with a solo shot to left, his 15th of the season, making it 5-3. Albers went 6.0 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five.

The Saints took advantage of a wild Jake Kalish in the seventh. Rooker led off the inning by drawing a walk. A Willians Astudillo infield single put runners at first and second. Two batters later a hit by pitch to Jimmy Kerrigan loaded the bases and Drew Stankiewicz walked to force in a run and give the Saints a 6-3 lead.

They Saints added their final run in the eighth on three straight singles from JT Riddle, Rooker and Astudillo, the last one scoring Riddle to put the Saints up 7-3.

The Storm Chasers scratched across a run in the ninth on an RBI double by Nick Dinni, but Nick Vincent would earn the save by pitching the final 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out four.

The same two teams meet in game three of the six-game series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints start RHP Michael Pineda on a Major League rehab assignment while the Storm Chasers will counter with LHP Marcelo Martinez (0-1, 11.57). The game can be seen on Bally Sports North and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 30, 2021


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