Saints Walk Off Storm Chasers 6-5

ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers (32-40) fell 6-5 to the St. Paul Saints (41-31) on Friday night at CHS Field. Abraham Toro hit a go-ahead 2-run home run in the top of the 8th inning to put Omaha in front, but the Saints walked off in the bottom of the 9th.

Down 3-0 after the 1st inning, the Storm Chasers got on the board in the top of the 2nd. Toro tripled to center field and scored on a Brandon Drury RBI single, then Drew Waters doubled to right to score Drury and cut the deficit to 3-2.

After allowing a 3-run homer in the 1^st, Chasers starter Randy Dobnak cruised through the next three innings, not allowing another run and working a perfect 4^th against his former team.

Omaha tied the game in the top of the 5th inning, as Matthew Lugo doubled to right and scored on a Brett Squires RBI single to make it 3-3. St. Paul quickly countered with an unearned run in the bottom of the 6^th on a sacrifice fly off reliever Dan Altavilla to push back ahead over Omaha, 4-3.

The Storm Chasers took the lead in the top of the 8th inning, as Luca Tresh led off with a single, and Toro followed with a 2-run home run – his 9th of the year – to put Omaha ahead 5-4.

After Andrew Pérez pitched a scoreless 7^th inning, Eric Cerantola worked around a pair of baserunners for a scoreless bottom of the 8^th inning and came on to close in the 9th but allowed three straight one-out hits – a solo home run, a double and a walk-off RBI single from Matt Wallner to end the game.

The Storm Chasers and Saints will continue their series at CHS Field on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:37 P.M. CT with Mitch Spence slated to start for Omaha.