PAPILLION, NE (August 2, 2026) - It was a bullpen day for the St. Paul Saints and six different arms kept the Omaha Storm Chasers from doing much damage in a 4-2 victory at Werner Park on Sunday evening.
With two outs and nobody on in the third, three doubles led to three runs for the Saints. Kaelen Culpepper started it with a double to left-center. Matt Wallner then walked. Kyler Fedko ended a 20-inning scoreless drought for the Saints with a two-run double down the third base line giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. Hendry Mendez then roped an RBI double to left-center increasing the lead to 3-0.
Trent Baker making his second spot start in the series was once again strong. He stranded four base runners in the first two innings before giving up his lone run. In the bottom of the third inning the Storm Chasers answered when Brett Squires doubled with one out and after a pitching change, Jack Pineda knocked him in with a single to left-center cutting the Saints to 3-1. Baker went 2.1 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out three.
John Klein, who finished off the third inning, tossed 1.2 scoreless innings while giving up a hit, walking one, and striking out one.
Ruddy Gomez would earn his first Triple-A win with a perfect fifth inning of work and striking out one.
Taylor Rashi took over in the sixth and didn’t allow a hit while walking two and striking out three in 1.1 scoreless innings.
The Storm Chasers cut the Saints lead to a run in the eighth when Squires launched a solo homer to right, his 16th of the season, making it 3-2. Eduardo Salazar, who gave up the homer, was strong in his 1.2 innings allowing just the one run on two hits and striking out one.
The Saints got the run back in the ninth without a hit. Back-to-back walks to start the inning to Culpepper and Wallner put runners at first and second. A fly out from Fedko sent Culpepper to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly from Mendez pushing the lead back up to 4-2.
Julian Merryweather locked down his second save. He gave up a two-out triple to Alejo Lopez in the bottom of the ninth, but got Abraham Toro to ground out ending the game.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night at CHS Field against the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds) at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send LHP Aaron Rozek (2-1, 3.15) against Bats RHP Johnathan Harmon (0-1, 5.40). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.com, and the Bally Sports Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM, all presented by Northland Ford Dealers.