INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – The Omaha Storm Chasers scored three runs in the first inning and held a lead for the entire game, beating the Indianapolis Indians 6-2 Friday night at Victory Field.
The Chasers opened the game with a bang and immediately loaded the bases, on a Dairon Blanco single, Samad Taylor double and Tyler Gentry hit-by-pitch. With one out, Logan Porter singled in Blanco and Taylor, then with two outs, Jakson Reetz doubled in Gentry for an early 3-0 lead.
Omaha starting pitcher Max Castillo (1-6) allowed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning to Nick Gonzales, but quickly found a groove and kept Indianapolis off the board the rest of the way, allowing just the one run over 6.0 innings with four hits and a walk, with a season-high eight strikeouts. Castillo struck out at least one in every inning and retired his final six batters, his second quality start and first win of the year.
Brewer Hicklen doubled Omaha’s lead in the fourth inning, as Reetz doubled in his second at-bat of the day, then scored on a two-run homer from Hicklen, the outfielder’s fourth home run of the year for a 5-1 lead.
The two teams traded runs in the eight, as Porter, Reetz and Hicklen all singled, then Porter scored on an Angelo Castellano groundout.
While reliever Collin Snider retired his first four batters behind Castillo, including a 1-2-3 seventh inning, he allowed a pair of singles in the eighth and handed the ball off to Evan Sisk. Sisk allowed one of two inherited runners to score, but worked out of the inning. Brooks Kriske followed behind Sisk with a scoreless ninth inning to secure a 6-2 win.
The victory was Omaha’s fourth straight over Indianapolis to secure a series win and improved the Chasers to 7-0 at Victory Field this season.
Anthony Veneziano heads to the mound Saturday at 6:05 p.m. CT to try and improve Omaha’s already season-best winning streak to five games.
