INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – The Omaha Storm Chasers won a fourth straight game, a 4-1 win against the Indianapolis Indians Friday at Victory Field as the team won its sixth straight series win of the season.
The Storm Chasers got on the board first for the third time in this series as John Rave was hit by a pitch to open the game. Rave proceeded to steal second base and three batters later, Logan Porter singled him in for a 1-0 Omaha lead.
Chasers starting pitcher Luis Cessa retired the first seven batters he faced with two perfect innings to open his day and added two strikeouts in the first two frames. Indianapolis tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third with a solo homer, but he worked through the end of the fourth without any further damage, adding two more strikeouts.
Omaha’s offense didn’t produce much in the way of offense after the first inning run as the only other hits the team added were a second inning double from Brian O’Keefe and fourth inning single from Cam Devanney.
Cessa was removed after 4.0 innings, allowing just the one run on five hits with four strikeouts before Evan Sisk replaced him in the fifth inning. For the first time this year, Sisk worked into a third inning of relief, compiling 2.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
The Chasers jumped ahead for good in the top of the sixth inning, as walks to. Nick Pratto and Ryan Fitzgerald, put two runners on, then a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Gentry, moved them into scoring position. Brian O’Keefe ripped a three-run homer to left field to plate Pratto and Fitzgerald to retake the lead 4-1 in favor of Omaha.
Sisk threw a perfect fifth inning and stranded a pair on in the sixth, then recorded the first out of the seventh and John McMillon took over on the mound for Omaha. McMillon inherited a runner on second base from Sisk but retired all five batters he faced through the end of the eighth inning, striking out his first four hitters, all on sliders, with a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Dan Altavilla closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth, recording the first two outs of the inning with ease before Indy threatened with a pair of baserunners to bring the tying run to the plate. After a strikeout opened the inning, Altavilla struck out his second to earn the save on the night and win it for Omaha 4-1, his third save of the year.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against Indianapolis Saturday, June 1 at Victory Field as first pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. CT and right-hander Jonathan Bowlan is slated to start for Omaha.
