Saint Paul, Minnesota – The Saints entered play on Sunday with an opportunity to split the series against one of the top International League teams. Unfortunately for the Saints the Storm Chasers bats put on an offensive production and the combination of quality pitching led by starter Daniel Lynch IV lifted Omaha past Saint Paul by a score of 11-2 in front of 6,046 fans. The Saints dropped to 18-25 on the season.

Omaha entered play on Sunday as the seventh best hitting team in the International League and the top pitching team. The first inning was one to forget for the Saints. Omaha sent nine men to the plate and plated six runs on six hits. The biggest blow of the inning came when Ryan Fitzgerald hit a 369-foot three-run shot to right field. Joe Gunkel recovered well after the first inning. He put zeros on the board the next two innings. Gunkel had a short afternoon. In total, he worked 3.0 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits.

The Saints capitalized on sloppy play by the Storm Chasers. Omaha committed three errors in the bottom of the second. Chris Williams struck out to start the inning. Next, Tony Kemp reached on a fielding error by Storm Chasers second baseman Ryan Fitzgerlad. The ball went right between his legs. Errors may have been contagious because Anthony Prato grounded to Storm Chasers shortstop Cam Devanney, and the ball went between his legs. The Saints had runners on first and second with no hits and no outs. Patrick Winkel hit a ball down the right field line; however, Omaha had a strong relay to get Winkel sliding into second base. Kemp scored to get the Saints on the board. Will Holland, who is fresh off the injured list singled and brought home Prato. The Saints trailed 6-2 and went to the third. Neither of the runs were earned, but in the end a run is a run no matter how it came across.

Josh Winder (MLB Rehab Assignment) worked the fourth. Austin Nola singled and came around to score when Nate Eaton doubled. Winder worked one inning and struck out two. Omaha took a 7-2 lead.

In the fifth, Fitzgerald hit his second home run of the afternoon. It was a two-run shot off Saints reliever Jordan Balazovic, which gave Omaha a 9-2 lead. The Storm Chasers chased Balazovic out of the game in the sixth. With one out, CJ Alexander came to the plate with the bases loaded. He hit a two RBI single, which gave Omaha an 11-2 lead.

The Saints almost got to Storm Chasers starter Daniel Lynch IV in the seventh. Chris Williams doubled to lead off the inning. However, Omaha brought in Kansas City Royals number five prospect, Anthony Veneziano, who got out of the inning without any trouble. Lynch IV worked 6.2 innings for Omaha and allowed two unearned runs on three hits and struck out six.

Michael Helman snapped his consecutive home run streak on Sunday afternoon. Helman held a three consecutive game home run streak and is the second player to accomplish that feat this season. Matt Wallner had a home run in three consecutive games from May 2^nd to 4^th. Helman went 0-for-3 and struck out twice. On the other hand, Ryan Fitzgerald single handedly killed the Saints. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, a single, three RBI’s and two runs scored.

The Saints will have Monday off and embark on a 12-game two city road trip. The first stop is Buffalo, New York. The Saint Paul Saints and Buffalo Bison (Toronto Blue Jays) open a six-game series on Tuesday night at Sahlen Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. (CT). Both teams are TBA. The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.