History Made, Saints Earn First Victory As Triple-A Affiliate Of Twins In 10-4 Win Over Storm Chasers

OMAHA, NE (May 5, 2021) - The top of the St. Paul Saints order made up for their hitless debut on Tuesday night. Rob Refsnyder, Trevor Larnach, and Brent Rooker went a combined 6-14 with three home runs and five RBI as the top three hitters in the lineup on Wednesday afternoon at Werner Park. All told, seven of the nine hitters collected a hit. That helped propel the Saints to win number one as the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, a 10-4 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers.

The Saints scored early and often during their 12-hit barrage and it started in the first. Larnach reached on a one out single to left center. He then advanced to second when catcher Freddy Fermin’s back pick attempt wound up in right field. Rooker followed with a single to right that put runners at the corners and Ryan Jeffers made it 1-0 with a sacrifice fly.

The Saints first ever lead as a Triple-A team was short lived, however, as the Storm Chasers got to starter Charlie Barnes in the first. Edward Olivares led off with an infield single and then stole second. Kyle Isbel singled Olivares to third. Barnes then balked in a run tying the game at one. With two on and two out, Kelvin Gutierrez gave the Storm Chasers a 2-1 lead with an RBI single to center.

The Saints offense picked up Barnes in the second as the first three hitters reached with singles. JT Riddle, Tomás Telis, and Drew Maggi all got to Storm Chasers starter Carlos Hernandez, the latter an RBI infield single tying the game at two. Tzu-Wei Lin’s RBI groundout put the Saints ahead for good at 3-2. Refsnyder’s RBI single to right made it 4-2.

That’s when the big bats came out. In the fourth Telis led off with a single and, with two outs, Refsnyder was hit by a pitch. That brought up Larnach who crushed a 452-foot shot to right field making it 7-2 Saints. The Saints would go back-to-back for the first time ever as Rooker followed with a 415-foot bomb to right-center making it 8-2.

With the Saints up 9-3 in the sixth, Refsnyder came calling in the sixth with a 432-foot solo blast to left making it 10-3.

Barnes earned the victory going 5.0 innings allowing three runs on six hits while striking out two. The bullpen of Juan Minaya, Shaun Anderson, Luke Farrell and Ian Gibaut allowed just one run over 4.0 innings while striking out five.

The same two teams meet in game three of the six game series on Thursday night at Werner Park at 6:35 p.m. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (NR) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP Scott Blewett (NR). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.