Saints Blow Game Open With Seven Run Eighth In 10-3 Victory Over Storm Chasers

_ST. PAUL, MN _*(September 27, 2022) - *The St. Paul Saints looked like they might be headed to extra innings for the 22nd time this season. Instead, they turned a tie ballgame into a blowout by scoring seven runs with two outs in the eighth to take down the Omaha Storm Chasers 10-3 on Tuesday night at CHS Field in front of 5,221.

With the game tied at three in the eighth and one out, John Andreoli singled into right-center. With two outs Andrew Bechtold untied the game with a two-run blast to left-center, his fifth of the season, giving the Saints a 5-3 lead. Bechtold went 2-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. They weren’t done as Nash Knight followed with a double down the third base line. After David Bañuelos was hit by a pitch, Dalton Shuffield singled up the middle to score Knight improving the lead to 6-3. Michael Helman then struck out, but strike three squirted by the catcher Jakson Reetz that allowed Bañuelos to score and Hellman to reach making it 7-3. Morales finished off the onslaught with a three-run homer to left, his fourth of the season, giving the Saints a 10-3 victory.

Saints starter Jordan Balazovic finished the season strong. He retired the first six batters he faced before an infield single started the third. With two on and one out, Balazovic got an inning ending double play.

The Saints jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third as the first three hitters collected hits. Bañuelos led off the inning with a single to left. Shuffield followed with an RBI triple off the wall in center giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. Helman then plated Shuffield with an RBI double down the third base line.

Balazovic made his lone mistake of the night leading off the fifth inning as Dairon Blanco hit a solo homer to center, his 14th of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 2-1. Balazovic went 5.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while walking three and striking out five. Over his final eight appearances of the season, Balazovic pitched to a 3.55 ERA.

The Storm Chasers knotted the game up in the sixth courtesy of an error from the Saints. With one out, Brent Rooker reached on a throwing error by third baseman Nash Knight. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and with two outs Blanco hit a broken bat looper into left-center that scored Rooker tying the game at two.

The teams then traded home runs in the seventh as the Storm Chasers took their first lead of the night with a solo homer from Nick Loftin, his fifth of the season, making it 3-2.

In the bottom of the inning, Bañuelos took the first pitch of the inning and crushed it over the left field wall, his eighth of the season, tying the game at three. Bañuelos was 2-3 with a home run, RBI, and three runs scored.

The same two teams meet in the final game of the season on Wednesday at 7:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (1-2, 7.04) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP Alex Marsh (1-0, 1.80). 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.