PAPILLION, NEB. – After a two-week road trip where the team went 6-6 in Saint Paul and Rochester, the Omaha Storm Chasers, playing as the Malmö Oat Milkers, fell to the Iowa Cubs 4-2 on Tuesday at Werner Park, ending the team’s three-game winning streak.
Omaha scored the first run of the series in the bottom of the first inning off two straight singles and a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Drew Waters connected on a one-out single and after his 12th steal of the season, Nick Loftin followed with another single to put runners at the corners and set-up CJ Alexander to hit a sacrifice fly and plate home Waters.
The I-Cubs tied the ballgame in the top of the third inning as Trayce Thompson hit a solo home run off Omaha starting pitcher Anthony Veneziano. Veneziano threw 4.0 innings as he struck out five without walking a batter.
The Storm Chasers retook the lead in the bottom of the third as Loftin and Alexander connected for back-to-back two out doubles for a 2-1 lead, Alexander’s second RBI of the night.
Iowa scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to take the lead as Major League rehabber Dan Altavilla allowed a pair of hits and a sacrifice fly plated another run for Iowa. Then, a wild pitch by Jonathan Bowlan crossed another run for a 3-2 lead in favor of the I-Cubs.
Altavilla was charged with both runs of fifth inning, then Bowlan retired the last out of the fifth, and tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning, with the score still 3-2 going into the seventh.
Iowa added another run of insurance in the top of the seventh inning off Bowlan to increase the lead to 4-2, as Owen Caissie hit Iowa’s second homer of the night, a solo shot.
Right-handed pitcher Steven Cruz relieved Bowlan of his duties in the top of the eighth inning and tossed one scoreless inning before Evan Sisk came into the ninth frame and struck out the side as the pitching staff struck out 11 batters on the night.
Omaha had one more chance in the bottom of the ninth inning but were retired in 1-2-3 fashion as the final 14 Storm Chasers hitters were retired in Order and Iowa came out ahead, 4-2.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Cubs at Werner Park on Wednesday, August 7 as first pitch is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. CT and left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron will get the start for Omaha.
