PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Iowa Cubs for a 6-3 loss on Friday at Werner Park.
In the fourth game of this week’s series, the I-Cubs took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning as a single opened the inning before Moises Ballesteros hit a two-run homer to right field and took the lead against Omaha starting pitcher Alec Marsh.
The Chasers answered back in the bottom half of the inning, as Nate Eaton and Cam Devanney hit back-to-back singles to put two on base. Austin Nola followed with a sac bunt and plated Eaton for a 2-1 game in favor of Iowa.
After Marsh struck out for over three innings, Andrew Hoffmann entered the game in the top of the fourth inning. He worked a scoreless fourth, but Iowa extended its lead in the top of the fifth with three more runs for a 5-1 lead. Three straight singled plated a run, then a sacrifice fly and bases loaded walk added two more
Hoffmann exited after 1.2 innings with three runs allowed and the bases loaded when Austin Cox relieved him. Cox stranded the bases loaded and pitched a scoreless sixth inning to keep Omaha’s deficit at four runs.
Omaha threatened multiple times with three hits and a walk between the fourth and fifth inning stranding a combined four runners on base and five over the first five innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Chasers notched two runs and trimmed the Iowa lead to 5-3 as John Rave doubled to left field and scored on a Nick Loftin two-run homer, his fifth long ball of the season, for a 5-3 game.
After 2.1 scoreless innings thrown from Cox and added three more punchouts to the line, major league rehabber Dan Altavilla came into the game and tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th.
Left-hander Evan Sisk came in to the ninth for Omaha and after two strikeouts opened the inning, three straight singled scored one insurance run for a 6-3 lead in favor of Iowa as the game headed into the bottom of the ninth.
Omaha had one last chance in the last half inning to rally as Devanney led off the inning with a single, his second hit of the game. Two at-bats later, Rave hit the second single of the frame, his first 4-hit game of the season, which advanced Devanney to third but Rave was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double and Omaha was unable to add a run to the board and the game ended with a 6-3 score in favor of the I-Cubs.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Cubs at Werner Park on Saturday, August 10 as first pitch is slated to start at 6:05 p.m. CT and right-handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet will get the start for Omaha.
