PAPILLION, NE (July 29, 2026) - In the first game of the series the St. Paul Saints and Omaha Storm Chasers entered the eighth inning tied. It was the Storm Chasers who came up with the big hits in the bottom of the inning to win. On Wednesday afternoon, it was the Saints turn. With the game tied in the ninth, Hendry Mendez delivered the big blow as the Saints won 4-3 at Werner Park.
With the game tied at three in the eighth, Mendez went the opposite way off former Minnesota Twins pitcher Justin Topa for a solo homer to left, his sixth of the season, in what proved to be the game-winner making it 4-3. Mendez went 2-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored.
Eric Orze left little doubt in the bottom of the ninth getting the first two hitters on two pitches and then striking out Stone Russell to end the game.
Three batters into the game and the Saints grabbed a 1-0 lead. Walker Jenkins extended his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games with a leadoff walk. Kaelen Culpepper looped a single to right, sending Jenkins to third. Matt Wallner’s sacrifice fly scored Jenkins.
Trent Baker looked strong in his second consecutive start. He gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the first before retiring six in a row. Baker went 3.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out two.
Major League rehabber Garrett Acton pitched a perfect fourth while striking out one. He threw 14 pitches, nine for strikes.
The Storm Chasers grabbed the lead in the fifth when Brandon Drury led off with a walk. With one out Elih Marrero doubled to right-center putting runners at second and third. Alejo Lopez’ sacrifice fly tied the game at one as Marrero took third. That proved big because a wild pitch scored Marrero giving the Storm Chasers a 2-1 lead.
The first three batters reached in the seventh as the Saints grabbed the lead. Matt Wallner led off with a single to first. Aaron Sabato extended his hitting streak to 10-games with a single to right putting runners at first and second. Mendez followed with an RBI single to right-center tying the game at two. After a pitching change because of an injury to pitcher Matt Moore, Cody Morissette came through with a two out RBI double to right putting the Saints up 3-2.
In the bottom of the inning the Storm Chasers tied it courtesy of a couple of walks. Drury led off the inning with a free pass. With two outs Lopez walked putting runners at first and second. Major League rehabber made the Saints pay with an RBI single to right tying the game at three.
The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at Werner Park at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ryan Gallagher (3-5, 6.82) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Ryan Ramsey (5-4, 5.94). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.