PAPILLION, NEB. – Abraham Toro powered the Omaha Storm Chasers (17-14/50-55) to a 10-4 victory over the St. Paul Saints (18-13/60-45) on Friday behind a 4-hit game. Omaha totaled 15 hits as a team while Toro fell a triple shy of the cycle in the victory.
Storm Chasers starter Vince Velasquez opened the game with a scoreless top of the 1st inning, then Toro hit an RBI double in the bottom half to give Omaha a 1-0 lead.
Velasquez fired another scoreless frame in the top of the 2nd inning, and Alejo Lopez drove in Brandon Drury before Kyle Isbel hit an RBI single in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-0 advantage.
The Saints responded with a 2-run double off Velasquez in the top of the 3rd inning, but Toro scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the 3rd inning to bring the score to 4-2.
In the top of the 4th inning, Velasquez gave up an RBI double before exiting the game. Ethan Bosacker (3-1) took his place on the mound, with a runner on 2nd and nobody out, but allowed the inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly and tie the game 4-4.
Bosacker returned with a scoreless top of the 5th inning and perfect top of the 6th inning, then Lopez hit a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the 6th inning to put the Storm Chasers ahead 5-4.
Anthony Gose pitched a scoreless top of the 7th inning, then Omaha plated 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to grow the lead to 9-4. Gavin Cross started the scoring with an RBI single, then Peyton Wilson hit an RBI double. Luca Tresh followed with an RBI single and Lopez topped off the inning with another RBI single.
The Storm Chasers turned to Aaron Bummer in the top of the 8th inning and he fired a scoreless frame, then Abraham Toro hit a leadoff home run in the bottom half to extend the lead to 10-4.
Eli Morgan pitched the 9th inning for Omaha, and despite a leadoff walk, he finished the frame scoreless to close out the victory.
The Saints will play the Storm Chasers again on Saturday night for the fifth game of the series. Henry Williams is scheduled to start for Omaha and first pitch is set for 6:05 P.M. CT.