PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped the series opener to the St. Paul Saints, losing 8-2 Tuesday at Werner Park.
The Saints got on the board early with a five-run first inning as five singles and a pair of walks gave St. Paul a 5-0 lead off Omaha starting pitcher Austin Cox and St. Paul led the rest of the way.
Cox tossed the first 2.0 innings of the bullpen game, striking out two in the process with a 1-2-3 second inning before he was relieved for Noah Murdock in the top of the third inning. Murdock followed Cox with 3.0 innings of work to tie a season-high and struck out a season-high six while allowing just one run.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Chasers threatened by loading the bases, including singles from Rodolfo Durán and Drew Waters, but a double play ended the inning and closed the rally.
Omaha got on the board in the bottom of the fourth after three scoreless frames as Ryan Fitzgerald drew a lead-off walk, then Nate Eaton followed with a double to put two in scoring position and Nelson Velázquez hit a sacrifice fly into center field and plated Fitzgerald to cut the deficit to 5-1.
St. Paul added another run in the fifth off Murdock, then the Saints plated two off Dan Altavilla in the top of the sixth inning, for an 8-1 lead over the Chasers.
Altavilla threw 1.2 innings of relief and allowed just the two runs and got the first two outs of the seventh before right-handed reliever Andrew Hoffmann and put a runner on but stranded him on base with a strikeout. Hoffmann worked 2.1 scoreless innings and struck out three with a 1-2-3 eighth inning, his third consecutive scoreless relief appearance.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Devin Mann crushed his 11th homer of the season, a solo shot to open the inning that cut the score to an 8-2 deficit that stood to be the final score.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Saints at Werner Park on Wednesday, August 28 as first pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. CT and right-handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet will take the mound for Omaha.
