Saints Dominate From Start To Finish, Crush Storm Chasers 10-2

ST. PAUL, MN (July 3, 2022) - Aaron Sanchez provided the pitching, and the offense provided a relentless attack all night as the St. Paul Saints took down the Omaha Storm Chasers 10-2 on Sunday night at CHS Field in front of a season high 9,110.

Sanchez was dominant from the get-go retiring the first six batters he faced and retiring the side in order in four of his 6.0 innings of work.

For the first time in the series the Saints jumped on the board first in the first. Spencer Steer led off with a double to right-center. He moved to third on a Jake Cave groundout and scored on a single from Tim Beckham to make it 1-0. A ground rule double by Mark Contreras put runners at second and third and Jermaine Palacios’ groundout plated Beckham putting the Saints up 2-0.

The Saints added to their lead in the second as José Godoy doubles with one out. Braden Bishop followed with an RBI single to center putting the Saints up 3-0.

In the fourth the Saints tacked on two more. With a man at first and two outs, Tim Beckham delivered a two-run homer to left, his fourth of the season, giving the Saints a 5-0 lead.

The lone blip on Sanchez’ ledger came in the fifth when the Storm Chasers got a run back as Brewer Hicklen led off by being hit by a pitch. Clay Dungan’s single moved Hicklen to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly from Freddy Fermin making it 5-1. Sanchez went 6.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out two.

The Saints made it 6-1 in the bottom of the inning as Michael Helman walked and Roy Morales was hit by a pitch. Godoy singled to left scoring Helman putting the Saints up 6-1.

The Saints blew the game open in the sixth scoring four runs as Steer led off with a walk. Jake Cave was hit by a pitch that extended his streak of reaching base safely to 47 consecutive games. Tim Beckham singled to load the bases. He finished the night 3-4 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. Contreras made it 9-1 with a two-run single to right and the subsequent throwing error on the play scored Beckham as Contreras took second. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and Roy Morales’ RBI fielder’s choice gave the Saints a 10-1 lead.

Cave finished the night 0-3 thus ending his 13-game hitting streak, but he was hit by two pitches. It’s the first time during the 47-game streak of reaching base safely, that the streak continues courtesy of a hit by pitch.

The Saints begin a six-game series against the Louisville Bats at Louisville Slugger on Monday night at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Josh Winder (0-0, 4.50) to the mound against Bats LHP Justin Nicolino (1-3, 8.37). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.