PAPILLION, NE (August 1, 2026) - At least it didn’t take very long. In the third fastest game in franchise history the St. Paul Saints were blanked for the fifth time this season falling 4-0 to the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday night at Werner Park.
Ricky Castro retired the first seven men he faced before giving up a one out ground rule double to Elih Marrero, but then retired the next two hitters. He went 3.0 scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out three.
Matt Bowman took over in the fourth and gave up a leadoff double to Gavin Cross, who stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Brett Squires giving the Storm Chasers a 1-0 lead.
The Storm Chasers added to their lead in the sixth. With two outs and nobody on Abraham Toro singled to center and that was followed by a two-run homer to right by Jack Pineda, his first, increasing the lead to 3-0.
Toro put the finishing touches on the night with a two-out solo homer to right in the eighth, his 19th of the season and second in as many games, making it 4-0.
The Saints managed just four singles and five total base runners: a one out single in the first by Kyler Fedko, a leadoff single by Hendry Mendez in the second who took second on the fielding error by the right fielder Drew Waters, but was left stranded, a two-out walk to Mendez in the fifth, a two-out single by Noah Cardenas in the fifth, and a leadoff single by Cody Morissette in the eighth. Mendez was the lone runner to reach second.
The game finished in an hour and 59 minutes, the third fastest nine inning game in franchise history only behind an hour and 46 minute game on May 18, 2023, a 2-1 loss at Columbus, and an hour and 54 minute game on May 3, 2024, a 4-0 win over the Louisville Bats at CHS Field.
The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday evening at Werner Park at 5:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Trent Baker (3-3, 5.89) to the mound against the Storm Chasers LHP Bailey Falter (2-1, 3.35). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.