Melendez Homers Twice as Chasers top Saints

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers snapped a 3 game losing streak with a 5-2 win Saturday night against the St. Paul Saints.

Left-hander Nate Ackenhausen quickly set the tone for Omaha, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings to open the game, with 3 strikeouts.

The Storm Chasers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st after Tyler Tolbert reached on a leadoff double. Tolbert advanced to 3^rd base on a Cavan Biggio ground out, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Jac Caglianone.

Ryan Hendrix took the mound in the top of the 3rd and after a scoreless inning, St. Paul took a 2-1 lead in the 4^th on a 2-run home run from former Storm Chaser Ryan Fitzgerald.

Cam Devanney began the bottom of the 4th with an infield single and was plated after MJ Melendez hit a 2-run, go-ahead home run for a 3-2 score in favor of Omaha. Eric Cerantola relieved Hendrix and worked scoreless 5th and 6th innings, striking out 3.

Omaha extended its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the 5th after a Diego Castillo solo home run, his second straight game with a homer.

Stephen Nogosek pitched a scoreless 7th inning and got the first two outs of the 8th. Evan Sisk followed Nogosek and secured the final out of the 8^th, before going on to pitch a scoreless 9th, shutting the door on St. Paul.

In the bottom of the 8th, Melendez hit his second home run of the night, extending Omaha’s lead to a 5-2 score that held to be final. The context marked the 11^th multi-homer game of his professional career.

Devanney finished the night 3-for-4, Wilson went 2-for-4, and Melendez went 2-for-4 with his two home runs and 3 RBI.

Omaha returns to action Sunday night against St. Paul. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. CT at Werner Park, with Rich Hill scheduled to pitch, in his Storm Chasers debut.