PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers won the season series finale against the Iowa Cubs in a 4-3 walk-off victory on Sunday at Werner Park, a 12-inning contest that marked the team’s longest game of the season.
The series finale was close all night long, with the I-Cubs first to the board in the top of the third inning as a two-out fielding error led to an RBI single for a 1-0 Iowa lead off Omaha starting pitcher Chandler Champlain.
In the bottom of the third inning, Omaha tied the game up 1-1 as Tyler Gentry plated Ryan Fitzgerald on an infield single to tie the game at 1-1.
Champlain ended his evening as he pitched 5.2 innings and struck out nine, his most in a game with Omaha, only allowing the one unearned run in the third.
Anthony Veneziano relieved Champlain with a runner on and two outs in the sixth, working into the eighth without allowing a run. Jonathan Bowlan inherited a runner from Veneziano and worked a double play to finish the eighth inning.
Tied for the first half of the game, the Chasers took their first lead in the bottom of the sixth as CJ Alexander crushed his 16th home run of the season for a 2-1 game in favor of Omaha.
Champlain, Veneziano and Bowlan combined to hold the I-Cubs were scoreless for five innings, entering the ninth inning with the Chasers up by a run.
Looking for a save, Bowlan loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with two walks and a hit, unable to get an out before Evan Sisk came in. Sisk struck out a pair, but also issued a bases-loaded walk that tied the game and eventually forced extra innings.
Neither team scored a run in the 10th inning, with Steven Cruz pitching a scoreless 10th, stranding two runners on base, including the placed runner. Tyler Gentry walked in the bottom of the 10t hand Omaha got the winning run to third base with one out, but the Chasers could not break through, sending the game to an 11th frame.
Right-handed reliever Noah Murdock came into the 11th and got into danger early as he hit a batter and after a sacrifice bunt, both runners including the placed runner, were put in scoring position. Then, a sac fly from Iowa scored the placed runner home for a 3-2 I-Cubs lead.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Omaha answered right back for a 3-3 game as Nick Pratto ripped a single into right field and scored placed runner Nelson Velázquez from third base to tie the game, though Pratto was stranded on second base to send the contest to the 12th.
Austin Cox, Omaha’s seventh pitcher of the game, tossed a scoreless 12th inning and worked around a two-out walk to send the game to the bottom of the 12th.
Playing past the 11th inning for the first time since September 2022, Omaha quickly rallied in the bottom of the 12th, as Drew Waters moved the placed runner Ryan Fitzgerald to third base on a groundout and Gentry drew his 2nd walk of the game to bring Alexander to the plate, as CJ drilled his third hit of the night into center field to score Fitzgerald for the 4-3 win for Omaha.
The win marks Omaha’s 8th walk-off win of the season, the third against Iowa and the team’s 10th extra-inning win of the season. The Storm Chasers took the season series against the Cubs for the first time since 2021, winning 11 games of 21 total contests.
Continuing the two-week homestand, the Storm Chasers welcome the Louisville Bats to Werner Park on Tuesday, August 13 as first pitch is slated to start at 6:35 p.m. CT and left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron will get the start for Omaha.
