BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Omaha Storm Chasers clinched a series win four games to two over Buffalo Bisons with a 7-6 victory on Sunday at Sahlen Field.
In the series finale, Buffalo loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning of starting pitcher Anthony Veneziano, then Will Robertson connected on a grand slam for a 4-0 Bison lead after an inning.
Veneziano worked the first two innings of the game, allowing just four runs with a pair of strikeouts. The left-hander threw a 1-2-3 second inning before Andrew Hoffmann relieved him in the bottom of the third inning, the first of six relievers in the afternoon for Omaha.
The Storm Chasers roared back in the top of the fourth inning and tied the game with four runs. Omaha loaded the bases on a double from Nick Loftin and walks drawn from Brian O’Keefe and Nate Eaton. Nelson Velázquez followed with a single and plated Loftin and O’Keefe to cut the deficit to two runs. After a steal and a wild pitch advanced Eaton and Velázquez into scoring position, Rodolfo Durán grounded out to score Eaton, then Devin Mann followed with a single of his own to plate Velázquez and tie the game 4-4 at the end of four inning.
Omaha took its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth as Drew Waters drew a walk and came around to score on a sacrifice fly from O’Keefe for a 5-4 lead.
The Storm Chasers lead did not last long, as the Bisons plated a pair in the bottom of the fifth. Hoffmann fired two scoreless innings, but a hit batter and three singles off reliever Austin Cox scored a pair of runs for a 6-5 Buffalo lead.
Omaha trailed by a run from the fifth inning into the eighth but turned the game around on a pair of solo homers. O’Keefe crushed a solo shot to left field, his 16th homer of the season, and tied the game 7-7 with his second RBI of the day. With two outs in the inning, Velázquez ripped his fourth homer of the season, his third hit of the day for a 7-6 Omaha lead in the top of the eighth inning.
Behind Cox, Eric Cerantola, Steven Cruz, Carlos Hernández and Evan Sisk each tossed a scoreless inning of relief and struck out seven batters over the final four frames. Sisk worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out a pair to secure his 11th save of the season and the 7-6 Omaha win, giving Cruz the win.
With Monday off, the Storm Chasers welcome the Saint Paul Saints to Werner Park for a six-game series, the final meeting between the two teams in the 2024 season. The series opens Tuesday, August 27 as first pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. CT and left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch IV will take the mound for Omaha.
