Saints Steal Game From Storm Chasers With 4-3 Walk-Off Win

ST. PAUL, MN (July 1, 2022) - They had not scored in 20 consecutive innings. Their 66 straight games with an extra base hit was about to end. They managed only one hit through the first eight innings. Then everything changed in the ninth. The Saints scored four runs in the ninth inning and got a walk-off single from Braden Bishop to take down the Omaha Storm Chasers 4-3 on Friday night at CHS Field in front of 7,936.

Going into the bottom of the ninth, the Saints had just three base runners all game. Back-to-back walks in the second inning to Michael Helman and Roy Morales, and a single with two outs in the sixth by Jake Cave that broke up the no-hitter of starter Marcelo Martinez. The single extended Cave’s hitting streak to 12 and his streak of reaching base safely to 45 consecutive games. But up until the bottom of the ninth, that was it.

Against left-handed reliever Gabe Speier, the Saints got off the mat. Spencer Steer led off the inning with a single to right. Cave followed with a two-run blast to left-center, his ninth of the season, getting the Saints to within 3-2. It extended the Saints streak of an extra base hit to 67-consecutive games, third longest streak in Minor League Baseball this season. With one out, Mark Contreras doubled to left. Michael Helman tied the game at three with a double to right-center. Roy Morales then singled to left and Helman attempted to score, but was thrown out at the plate as Morales took second on the throw. With John Andreoli pinch running at second, Curtis Terry was intentionally walked. Jermaine Palacios pinch hit for Elliot Soto and walked to load the bases. That brought up Bishop who was 0-3 on the night and 1-19 since being signed by the Minnesota Twins on June 18. Bishop lined a game winning RBI single to left for the Saints fifth walk-off win of the season.

The story of the night before the ninth was the starting pitching. Early on, Ronny Henriquez for the Saints and Martinez for the Storm Chasers were dealing. Both pitchers struck out seven through the first three innings and the Storm Chasers were able to get on the board first in the third. With one out, Ivan Castillo walked. Dairon Blanco singled to right putting runners at first and second. A fielder’s choice put runners at the corners and that was followed by an RBI single from Nate Eaton to make it 1-0 Storm Chasers.

In the fifth, another walk to Castillo proved crucial. With one out, Castillo walked. With two outs, Henriquez came out of the game for Evan Sisk. He got Nick Pratto to hit a grounder to the second baseman Helman, but the first baseman Terry broke towards the ball and by the time he got back to first and Helman threw the ball it was too late putting runners at the corners. Pratto stole second and Eaton made it 3-0 with a two-run single to center. Henriquez went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out seven.

Martinez retired the side in order in the first, and retired 13 in a row from the second out in the sixth until the second out in the sixth before Cave broke up the no-hitter. Martinez departed at that point having gone 5.2 innings of shutout ball allowing one hit while walking two and striking out nine.

The other storyline: the Storm Chasers swiped eight bases, the most given up by the Saints in franchise history. Despite the thievery on the base paths, it was the Saints who stole the game in the end.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series on Saturday night at CHS Field at 6:07 p.m. The Saint send RHP Ariel Jurado (0-1, 5.40) against Storm Chasers RHP Carlos Hernández (1-4, 4.73). The game can be seen on FOX9 Plus and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.