Woods Richardson Dominates, Offense Mashes In 10-6 Win Over Storm Chasers

_ST. PAUL, MN _*(September 26, 2022) - *Simeon Woods Richardson made his final start of 2022 and continues to prove the future is bright. The offense smashed three home runs, including a grand slam from Cole Sturgeon, as the Saints took down the Omaha Storm Chasers 10-6 on Monday night at CHS Field in front of 5,845.

In the first, the Saints jumped out to the early lead. With one out Roy Morales lined a single into center. The very next hitter, Ryan Jeffers, drilled a two-run home run to straightaway center, his third on Major League rehab, making it 2-0.

Woods Richardson was dominant from the start, retiring the first 11 men he faced, before walking Nick Pratto with two out in the fourth and then striking out Brent Rooker to end the inning.

The Saints added to the lead in the fourth inning, and it started with nobody on and two out. Chris Williams reached on an infield single to second. Andrew Bechtold followed by crushing a two-run homer to left-center, his fourth of the season, giving the Saints a 4-0 lead. Jake Rucker walked and Elliot Soto knocked him home with an RBI double to left increasing the lead to 5-0.

Woods Richardson gave up his first hit in the fifth, a one out double to center by Freddy Fermin. Woods Richardson retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

In the sixth, Woods Richardson walked Maikel Garcia with one out. With two outs, Pratto walked. The night ended for Woods Richardson when he got Rooker to line out to second to end the inning. He went 6.0 shutout innings allowing one hit while walking three and striking out seven and finished with a 2-0 record and a 2.21 ERA at Triple-A.

In the seventh, the Saints added to their lead in a big way. Soto led off the inning with a hustle double to left-center. With one out, Morales walked. Jeffers hit a one hop double off the wall in right scoring Soto making it 6-0. Jeffers went 3-4, falling a triple shy of the cycle, three RBI, and two runs scored. John Andreoli then walked to load the bases. That brought up Cole Sturgeon who drilled his first career grand slam over the right field wall, his first home run at Triple-A this season, making it 10-0.

That grand slam proved to be huge because the Storm Chasers put up six in the eighth. Devin Smeltzer walked the first three hitters of the inning and Rooker unloaded them with a grand slam to left, his ninth home run at Triple-A. Brewer Hicklen followed with a check swing double to left-center and three batters later Jimmy Govern made it 10-6 with a two-run homer to left-center, his sixth of the season. Jake Jewell finished off the night for the Saints working 1.1 shutout innings and striking out three.

The same two teams meet in game two of a three-game series on Tuesday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saint send RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-7, 7.81) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP Angel Zerpa (0-0, 1.59). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.