SAINT PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell behind early for a third straight game and trailed the rest of the night, dropping Friday’s game to the St. Paul Saints 6-1.
The first third of the game was a pitchers’ duel, as Omaha’s Chandler Champlain and St. Paul’s Adam Plutko each allowed one hit over three scoreless innings to open the game. Champlain ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth as four hits, including a pair of two-run homers scored four runs for the Saints, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
Champlain pitched into the sixth inning, only surrendering five runs (four earned) on four hits but got little in the way of run support. After John Rave singled in the third inning, the next 10 Omaha batters were retired in a row to end Plutko’s day, the fourth straight quality start for a St. Paul starting pitcher this week.
Jonathan Bowlan inherited a runner from Champlain that came around to score unearned, then threw a scoreless seventh inning to quiet St. Paul down. Will Klein pitched the eighth inning and allowed a run on a walk and RBI single, as the game headed into the ninth with Omaha trailing 6-0.
Held to a single and two walks over the first eight innings, the Storm Chaser offense showed signs of life in the ninth as a single and two walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Nick Pratto connected on a one-out single that scored Rave from third base, but Omaha ended the game with the bases loaded and the tying run in the on-deck circle to drop a third straight game at CHS Field.
The Chasers look to bounce back Saturday at 6:37 p.m. CT with the penultimate game of this week’s series in St. Paul with left-hander Daniel Lynch IV headed to the mound for Omaha.
