Lynch hits a gem and the Chasers hit four home runs in a 9-2 Omaha victory

July 27, 2024 – International League (IL)
Omaha Storm Chasers Press Release

SAINT PAUL, MINN. – The Omaha Storm Chasers jumped out to an early lead and led for most of the night with a 9-2 victory over the St. Paul Saints on Saturday at CHS Field.

After leading by only one inning through the first four games of the series, Omaha took the lead early in the second inning when second baseman Kevin Padlo hit a two-run homerun to left field to give the Storm Chasers a 2-0 lead, a lead the team held for the rest of the game.

CJ Alexander and Brian O’Keefe hit back-to-back doubles in the third, with Alexander driving in O’Keefe for a 3-0 lead. Alexander’s extra-base hit was his first of three in the game, while O’Keefe extended his career-best on-base streak to 21 games and tied a career-best hitting streak at 12. Tyler Gentry drove in Padlo for a 4-0 Omaha lead in the 4th.

Three more homers blew the game open, starting with two in the sixth inning. John Rave hit a two-out solo shot to tie for the team lead, his 16th of the year, then Gentry singled and Alexander hit a two-run shot, his 13th of the season.

Nate Eaton joined the home run parade in the seventh inning with a home run that drove in Nelson Velázquez for his twelfth home run of the year and the final run of the game.

The nine-run support was more than enough for Omaha starter Daniel Lynch IV, who was one out away from tying the longest road game of his career. Lynch threw his eighth quality start of the season and held the Saints to two runs in 7.2 innings of work, the first Storm Chaser starter to pitch into the eighth inning since 2019. The only damage Lynch sustained came from a two-run homer in the fourth inning as the left-hander pitched three perfect innings, striking out six without a hit.

Lynch left the field after exactly 100 pitches after allowing a two-out double in the eighth inning, and right-handed pitcher Tyler Duffey stranded the acquired runner before throwing a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth inning to seal the 9-2 victory for Omaha.

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