NASHVILLE, TENN. — A high-scoring affair went the way of Omaha Storm Chasers in 10-9 series-opening victory over the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday at First Horizon Park.
Sending 8 of 9 batters to the plate the opening frame, the Storm Chasers started the fiesta quickly as Drew Waters led off the game with his fifth double of the year to get into in scoring position. Michael Massey followed up with a single that drove Waters home for a 1-0 lead. Nate Eatons singled as well and after CJ Alexander drew a walk to load the bases, Tyler Gentry walked as well, bringing Massey home and extending Omaha’s lead to 2-0. The next at-bat, Brian O’Keefe doubled to center field as Eaton and Alexander crossed home plate to add on to the early lead 4-0.
The scoring did not stop after the first, as Ryan Fitzgerald led off the top of the second inning with a double, his third of the season. After Fitzgerald moved to third on a groundout, Eaton chipped a single into center field for a 5-0 Chasers lead. Nick Pratto capped the inning’s scoring with his second homer of the early season to right field, which extended the lead to 7-0.
The Sounds quickly answered in the bottom of second, as first baseman Tyler Black cranked a three-run homer to left field, then a single and double plated two more runs to bring the score to 7-5 in favor of Omaha and knock starter Andrew Hoffmann out of the game. The right-hander allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits over 1.2 innings, with three strikeouts.
Nashville kept creeping close, as Black drove in another run in the third on a groundout, then a Vinny Capra double in the fourth tied the game at 7-7, both runs scoring off reliever Tyler Duffey. Duffey struck out four over 2.1 innings of work, allowing the two runs across 51 pitches.
The game stayed tied at seven until the sixth inning when O’Keefe, Waters and Massey loaded the bases, then Eaton knocked in his third hit of the night to center field and plate O’Keefe to give the Storm Chasers a 8-7 lead. Pratto then walked with the bases loaded to double the advantage to 9-7.
The Sounds countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning and move within one, 9-8, but Omaha stayed ahead by a run into the eighth inning. Massey connected on his first home run of the season in the sixth game of his rehab assignment for a run of insurance to keep Omaha ahead 10-8.
Behind Duffey, left-hander Evan Sisk struck out four and allowed just the sixth inning run over 2.0 innings, then Dan Altavilla relieved him in the bottom of the seventh inning and threw 1.1 scoreless innings with one strikeout before Walter Pennington took the mound and got the final two outs of the eighth inning to strand the tying run on base.
Right-hander Will Klein came on for the ninth inning to lock down his second save of the year, but the Sounds threatened again with one last breath as a pair of walks brought the winning run to the plate. A throwing fielding error by O’Keefe scored a run and put the tying run 90 feet away, but Klein punched out former Storm Chaser Brewer Hicklen to strand the tying run and finish off Omaha’s third straight win.
The Storm Chasers continue this six-game series against the Sounds Wednesday at First Horizon Park with a 6:35 p.m. CT first pitch as left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch IV takes the mound for Omaha.
