PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped the second of a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers, falling 8-3 Thursday afternoon at Huntington Park.
After Wednesday’s game was canceled due to inclement weather, the Clippers opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run homer to right field by Kyle Manzardo with no outs in the inning, giving Columbus the lead off of starting pitcher Andrew Hoffmann, a lead they held the rest of the day.
Columbus another run in the first after Hoffmann loaded with one out, a sacrifice fly plated another run to add to the Clipper lead at the end of the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning, another Clipper home run, a solo shot from Angel Martinez extended Omaha’s deficit to 5-0.
Omaha’s bullpen needed to combine for seven innings as Hoffmann only lasted two and the effort began with left-hander Austin Cox, who entered the game in the bottom of the third inning and fired his first 1-2-3 inning of the season, the first of two scoreless innings.
The Chasers got on the board in the top of the fourth inning and trimmed the Clippers lead to 5-1 as Tyler Gentry reached on a fielder’s choice, then advanced to third on a Drew Waters double, to set up Ryan Fitzgerald for a sacrifice fly that plate Gentry to bring Omaha within four.
In the top of the fifth inning, John Rave drew a walk, stole for second and reached third base on a wild pitch, then Nick Pratto doubled Rave in to move the score to 5-2 at the end of five innings and bring Omaha within three.
After Cox’s two scoreless innings of relief, right-hander John McMillon replaced him in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two baserunners on and no outs, McMillon allowed a three-run homer to left field as the Clippers grew the lead back to 8-2, a batter that ended up as the last Columbus got on base the rest of the afternoon.
Omaha answered back in the top of the sixth inning as Waters drew a walk to get on base for the third time of the day, then he advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a throwing error Fitzgerald singled Waters in for an 8-3 score that held on to be the final score.
After allowing the home run, McMillon retired his next six in a row to work through the end of the sixth inning.
Right-handed reliever Noah Murdock took the reins in the bottom of the seventh inning and threw his third 1-2-3 inning of the season, his sixth scoreless outing with Omaha in as many appearances with the Storm Chasers. After one inning, Murdock was replaced for newly-acquired Jesus Tinoco in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he threw a 1-2-3 inning in his Chasers debut, combining with McMillon and Murdock to retire the last 12 Columbus batters.
The Chasers had one more opportunity in the top of the ninth inning as Devanney led off the inning with a walk to get on base but that was all the offense could muster in the frame as Omaha fell 8-3 to even the series at one win each.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Clippers with a doubleheader Friday, June 28 as first pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. CT and right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan is slated to start for Omaha in the first game. Then, game two of the doubleheader will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one as right-hander Chandler Champlain takes the mound for Omaha.
