The Omaha Storm Chasers may be the 1st Half-IL Champs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have to stop winning. 

Home runs from Devin Mann, Tyler Gentry, and Nick Pratto and another strong game from the pitching staff powered the Chasers to a 7-1 win over the Louisville Bats this evening at Werner Park.

Omaha’s now won seven in a row while Louisville has lost 11 of its last 12 games. 

The Chasers scored early and often in this one as Devin Mann’s two-run homer over the left field fence made it 2-0 after one, one that barely cleared the left-center field fence. Mann now has seven homers this season for Omaha.

Tyler Gentry padded the lead with a solo shot to left in the second inning. That was Gentry’s third homer of the season and first homer since May 9th against Jacksonville.

Omaha put the game out of reach in the third. After Michael Massey walked and Devin Mann was hit by a pitch, Nick Pratto blasted his second homer of the series over the left field wall to clear the bases and double the Chasers lead, 6-0, after three innings. The homer was Pratto’s 9th of the season.

Louisville ended the shutout in the 4th Inning on an RBI single from Hernan Perez, but Nate Eaton raced home on a wild pitch in the 7th Inning to even it out.

Three of Louisville’s last seven batters struck out in the final two innings as the Chasers prevailed once again and got the 7-1 victory.

NOTES:

• Michael Massey continued his rehab stint today. He scored twice and finished 2-3 with a double and a walk. He was thrown out at home in the 7th Inning looking for his third run.
• Kris Bubic also made another rehab start this evening. He pitched 4.1 IP allowing one run on six hits while walking two and striking out eight. He’s very close to getting back to Kansas City.
• Tyler Gentry is not of this world right now. He went 2-4 today with his first homer in a month and a half. He and Massey were the only two Chasers with more than one hit.
• Walter Pennington got the win for Omaha going 1.2 IP with two strikeouts. No hits or walks were allowed. Uh, Royals? Are you taking notes?
• Noah Murdock, Tyler Duffey, and Austin Cox combined: Three innings, two walks, five strikeouts.
• Omaha struck out 15 Bats tonight as a pitching staff. 
• Drew Waters and CJ Alexander both didn’t start tonight. Waters is still coming back from Kansas City but no word on the status of Alexander, who was removed during Tuesday’s game.

NEXT GAME: 

The Storm Chasers go for their 50th win in 2024 tomorrow night against the Bats in Game 3 of their six-game series. The first pitch from Werner Park is set for 7:05 pm.