Saints Done In By Major League Rehabbers In 6-1 Loss To Storm Chasers

_ST. PAUL, MN _*(May 23, 2023) - *The St. Paul Saints had trouble figuring out the two players on Major League rehab for the Omaha Storm Chasers. Major League rehab pitcher Daniel Lynch tossed 6.0 shutout innings and Major League rehab outfielder Drew Waters collected four hits as the Saints lost 6-1 on Tuesday morning at CHS Field in front of 7,436.

The Storm Chasers grabbed the lead in the first as Waters led off with a double to right-center. He moved to third on a balk and scored on an RBI single from Nick Loftin making it 1-0.

In the second, the Storm Chasers added to their lead. Back-to-back doubles by Greyson Jenista and Dairon Blanco to start the inning made it 2-0. With one out, Angelo Castellano’s RBI single to right-center increased the lead to 3-0.

The Storm Chasers made it 4-0 in the fourth courtesy of a solo homer from Dairon Blanco, his third of the season.

In the fifth, the Storm Chasers added to their lead. Waters led off with a single to center and Samad Taylor walked. After a pitching change where Patrick Murphy came on in relief, a wild pitch advanced the runners. Loftin’s sacrifice fly scored Waters making it 5-0.

The Saints offense managed just three singles off Lynch in 6.0 innings and never had a runner reach second base.

In the ninth, Waters doubled to left-center and scored on a two-out double from Loftin increasing the lead to 6-0.

The Saints finally got on the board in the bottom of the ninth when Matt Wallner led off with a single and advanced to third on a double from Chris Williams. An RBI groundout by Andrew Bechtold got the Saints their lone run of the game.

The Saints bullpen continues to be a strength as three pitchers, Patrick Murphy, Kody Funderburk, and Austin Schulfer combined to go 5.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out eight. Murphy went 2.0 hitless, scoreless innings while walking one and striking out four.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saint send LHP Brent Headrick (1-1, 4.94) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Anthony Veneziano (NR). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, the Bally Live app (free), and MiLB.TV (subscription), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.