PAPILLION, NEB. – Brett Squires hit an RBI triple and solo home run as the Omaha Storm Chasers (22-23) took down the St. Paul Saints (23-22) on Tuesday afternoon 5-3. Drew Waters also hit a home run while Omaha starter Ryan Ramsey fired 5.0 innings of 2-run ball.
The Storm Chasers opened the scoring in the top of the 1st inning when Squires’ RBI triple to put Omaha up 1-0.
Ramsey worked around a one-out walk for a scoreless 1st inning, but allowed a solo home run to Aaron Sabato in the bottom of the 2nd inning that tied the game 1-1.
The Saints scored again in the bottom of the 3rd inning when a double play allowed the runner from third base to come home and give St. Paul a 2-1 advantage.
Ramsey then worked a scoreless 4th inning and followed with a perfect 5th inning, retiring his final 6 hitters and 8 of his final 9.
Squires came through again for Omaha in the top of the 6th inning with a two-out solo home run, his 4th home run in the last 5 games, and on the next pitch of the game, Drew Waters also hit one over the right field wall to put the Storm Chasers in front 3-2.
Andrew Pérez (2-1) took over for Ramsey in the bottom of the 6th inning, but an RBI single tied the game 3-3.
Omaha responded when Josh Rojas hit a sacrifice fly that plated Gavin Cross to make it a 4-3 game.
Pérez then delivered a scoreless bottom of the 7th inning and Beck Way pitched a scoreless 8th inning to keep the Storm Chasers in the lead heading to the 9th.
In the top of the 9th inning, Tyler Tolbert gave Omaha some insurance with an RBI double that sent home Kevin Newman to bring the score to 5-3.
The Storm Chasers called on Eric Cerantola for the bottom of the 9th inning, and despite a walk and hit-by-pitch, he finished the game without allowing a run to tie the International League lead with his 6th save of the season.
Omaha returns to St. Paul for the 2nd game of the series Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:37 P.M. CT. The Storm Chasers have Shane Panzini in line for the start.