The Omaha Storm Chasers offense has come through when it needed to for most of this series. Today, it was the pitching staff and defense that allowed them to win their fifth consecutive game.

Led by a strong start from Chandler Champlain, the bullpen getting big outs, and some defensive web-gems, the Storm Chasers defeated the Toledo Mud Hens 2-1 at Fifth Third Field.

Omaha entered this series losers of four consecutive games, including the series opener on Tuesday night. Their push for the playoffs was on hold during the skid. Thanks to winning the last five games of this series, the Chasers now enter the final series of the 1st Half with a chance to head to the playoffs for the first time in ten years.

It was quite the pitcher’s duel for most of the game this afternoon. However, it was the Mud Hens that drew first blood in the 4th Inning. After a single from Eddys Leonard and a double from Justice Bigbie, Anthony Benboom hit a sacrifice fly to John Rave that allowed Leonard to score from third and give Toledo a 1-0 lead.

Omaha would respond and take the lead in the 5th Inning. John Rave led off the inning with a double to deep center and would go to third on a sac bunt from Nate Eaton. CJ Alexander then lashed an RBI triple down the right-field line to tie the game up. Devin Mann, who’s been clutch all series, drove in Alexander on a single to center on an 0-2 pitch on the next at-bat. The Chasers would go to the second half of the game with a 2-1 lead.

Champlain would be taken out in the 6th Inning two outs into the frame. He would finish the game with an earned run on three hits while walking five and striking out three.

It would be the Chasers defense that held down the fort for the rest of the game. In the 6th, Nick Pratto made a great diving play at first base to end the inning. Tyler Gentry raced in and made a close catch in right field in the 7th. CJ Alexander hustled in and made a great throw from the infield to end the 8th Inning after Steven Cruz got a crucial strikeout. Those came with Toledo having runners at second and third with one out.

In the 9th, Pratto made catches on two line drives that could have been base hits, some for extra bases, and that would seal the deal for the Chasers as they held on and took the game 2-1.

NOTES:

• The Storm Chasers end the week winners of five straight games. They have a 5.5-game lead over Syracuse entering the last week of the 1st Half of the season. It is down to these two teams as the rest of the IL has been mathematically eliminated.
• The magic number for Omaha to clinch is three. There are a few mathematical scenarios where Syracuse would clinch instead because of their winning percentage and tiebreakers. 
• Despite the Chasers winning the game, this could’ve been a little more lopsided. They were 2-for-11 with RISP and left 13 men on base.
• Chandler Champlain got his first win of the season. Wasn’t pretty, but got the job done and got rewarded for it.
• Noah Murdock continues to be amazing. He did allow his first hit of the season and allowed his first walk as well, but has yet to give up a run in three outings. 
• Will Klein got his ninth save of the season in a 1-2-3 9th Inning. His ERA sits at 1.71.
• CJ Alexander with another multi-hit game and got his fourth triple of the season while getting an RBI and a run scored. Not sure what else he needs to prove to get the call to KC.
• Tyler Gentry wrapped up a nice week by going 2-3 today. He’s back up to a +.200 AVG. He finished the series going 9-20. 
• John Rave hit his 13th double of the season and finished 2-5. 
• Devin Mann was clutch once again. 2-4 with a double, a walk, and the go-ahead RBI.
• Rodolfo Duran went 0-5 with a strikeout in his first game as a Chaser. It was his first start in AAA.

NEXT GAME:

The Chasers will head back home this week to wrap up the 1st Half of the regular season against the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Louisville is 1-9 in their last ten games and just got swept at home by St. Paul. If Omaha gets a couple of wins this week OR help from Rochester against Syracuse, the Chasers will be in the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Game 1 of their six-game series will be on Tuesday at 12:05pm at Werner Park. It is Career Day at the ballpark presented by the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Aviation Institute.