LOUISVILLE, KY. – The Omaha Storm Chasers plated nine runs in the third inning to win their sixth straight game, a 15-5 victory against the Louisville Bats Wednesday at Werner Park.
The Chasers got on the board early with a run in the top of the second and took a one-run lead as Nick Pratto tripled to center field and scored on a two-out single from Ryan Fitzgerald for the 1-0 advantage.
Omaha quickly extended its lead with a nine-run third inning, moving the score to 10-0. Cam Devanney led off the frame with a triple, then John Rave walked and Drew Waters plated Devanney with a single for the first run if the inning. Brian O’Keefe followed with a three-run homer to left field, his 17th of the season and first of two in the game.
The damage continued in the top of the third with a Nate Eaton double to left field and a double by Fitzgerald that crossed home Eaton for another run. Devin Mann followed with a third two-out straight hit and scored Fitzgerald with a single. After Devanney walked, Rave crushed his 21st homer of the year, a three-run shot to right field that grew the large lead to 10 runs after three innings.
Omaha kept the pressure going in the fourth as Tyler Gentry singled to left field and set up O’Keefe to hit his second homer of the day, a two-run shot, and push the lead to 12-0.
Starting pitcher Noah Cameron tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and struck out three, ending his day on a 1-2-3 fourth inning as Anthony Simonelli took over on the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning.
After five scoreless innings, the Bats got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with five runs as a solo shot, a sac fly, and a three-run homer cut the lead down to 12-5 in favor of the Chasers. The home run ended Simonelli’s day and he handed the ball off to Jonathan Bowlan with a seven-run lead and Bowlan worked out of the inning to send the game to the seventh.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Chasers grew the lead back up to double digits with three insurance runs as two straight two-out singles by Rave and Waters set up Gentry to hit a three-run homer to left field, the team’s fourth long ball of the day, as the lead moved to the 15-5 that held to be final.
After Bowlan threw 1.1 scoreless innings, Austin Cox entered the game for Omaha and pitched a scoreless inning, working around a walk in the eighth.
Eric Cerantola finished off the game for Omaha, striking out a pair in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the team’s sixth straight victory.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Bats Thursday September 19 as first pitch is slated for 5:35 p.m. CT and right-handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet takes the mound for Omaha.
