As ugly as the past two games have been for the Omaha Storm Chasers, including today, they have won both to snap a three-game losing skid.
In both games, the Chasers raced out to big leads only to see the Toledo Mud Hens make a late-game run but fall just short.
Omaha got home runs from Tyler Gentry, Ryan Fitzgerald, Nate Eaton, and Drew Waters and survived a late offensive surge by the Mud Hens to take Game 2 of the series 10-9 in front of 3,874 at Werner Park.
The Storm Chasers have won two in a row and seven straight overall against Toledo since last month.
It was a back-and-forth affair for much of the ballgame. The Mud Hens struck first on a solo homer from Bligh Madris in the 2nd Inning. In the bottom of the inning, Tyler Gentry blasted a solo shot 420ft to left-center to tie the game. Ryan Fitzgerald followed up with a two-run bomb of his own to give Omaha a 3-1 lead after two innings.
Toledo answered back with a three-run shot to right field from Spencer Torkelson, one that barely cleared the wall in right, to give the Mud Hens a 4-3 lead.
After Gentry and Brian O’Keefe both walked, Nate Eaton hit his 11th homer of the season to left field to give the Chasers a 6-4 lead in the 4th Inning.
The Chasers started to pull away in the 5th Inning. Drew Waters led off with a double then Nick Pratto walked. Tyler Gentry singled to load up the bases. Brian O’Keefe then blooped a single to center that fell in front of four Mud Hens to score Waters and Pratto to make it 8-4 Omaha. Gentry would score on a throwing error by Anthony Bemboom to add to the lead. 9-4 Chasers after five.
Drew Waters shot one off the pitch clock in the 6th Inning, a solo shot that traveled 435ft, to make it 10-4 Omaha and that was when it felt like the Chasers could cruise through the rest of the game.
The Mud Hens thought otherwise and kickstarted a comeback in the 7th. Drew Maggi and Stephen Scott both reached on a single and a walk, respectively. They both advanced on a groundout by Andrew Navigato. Ryan Vilade drove in both runners on a single to right field to make it 10-6. Toledo looked for more with the bases loaded, but Tyler Duffey struck out Ryan Kreidler to end the inning.
Carlos Hernandez took the ball in the 9th looking to close it out, but the Mud Hens wouldn’t go quietly. Vilade started the inning with a double down the right-field line and Jace Jung walked. Spencer Torkelson then was robbed by Drew Waters of a potential three-run homer in center field, but it was long enough of a flyout to drive in Vilade to make it 10-7. Madris hit his second homer of the game to right field and that cut the Chasers lead to one with one out in the 9th Inning.
Evan Sisk relieved Hernandez and struck out the next two Toledo hitters to end the game and give the Chasers the victory.
NOTES:
- Andrew Hoffman got his second win of the season. He went five strong innings allowing four runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three. It is his first win since April 10th against Gwinnett.
- Something is seriously wrong with Omaha’s bullpen. Toledo has scored 12 combined runs in two games in the final three innings. In the past, the Chasers would’ve coasted through the rest of the game up a handful. Now, there’s some concern moving forward.
- Good outing from Tyler Duffey. 1.1 innings and one strikeout. He allowed just one hit. His ERA is now at 2.55
- Evan Sisk got his third save of the season. His ERA now stands at 1.87.
- Austin Cox, the first reliever, struck out two and walked one in one inning of work.
- Will Klein and Carlos Hernandez combined: 1 IP, 5 H’s, 5 ER’s, 3 BB’s, 1 K. Not great.
- Brian O’Keefe had a perfect batting average on the day. 3-3, a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
- Another good game from Tyler Gentry. 2-3, a solo homer, an RBI, a walk, and three runs scored.
- Drew Waters not only hit a home run, he robbed a home run for the second consecutive game. Ridiculous. He finished 2-5 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored.
- Nate Eaton and Ryan Fitzgerald each went 1-4 with a home run. Eaton also stole his 14th base of the season.
- Tough game for CJ Alexander, who went 0-4 with a strikeout.
- Cam Devanney’s last five games: 2-16, two runs scored, four strikeouts.
NEXT GAME:
Jonathan Bowlan heads to the hill for Omaha tomorrow night in Round 3 against the Mud Hens. The first pitch is set for 7:05 pm. It is Thrifty Thursday at Werner Park and the undefeated NAL Champions, the Omaha Beef, are making an appearance.
