ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped a third straight games to the Rochester Red Wings, falling 7-3 Thursday at Innovative Field, the team’s sixth loss on a two-week road trip.
Omaha starter Chandler Champlain offered his fourth quality start of the season, as he limited the Red Wings to one run over the first six innings of the game. A pair of hits in the bottom of the first inning put Rochester up 1-0 lead, but Champlain prevented further damage in his next several innings, including 1-2-3 innings in the 2nd and 4th.
Omaha threatened in the top of the fourth inning with singles from John Rave and Drew Waters but a double play turned by the Red Wings got out of the frame.
The Storm Chasers were held to three hits over six scoreless innings, but worked onto the board in the top of the seventh as Tyler Gentry crushed a solo home run to right center field to tie the game at 1-1, his 11th long ball of the season.
Champlain struck out six over the first 6.0 innings of the game but loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with a walk, error and single and exited without getting another out. Jonathan Bowlan inherited the bases loaded and nobody out, allowing all three runners to score before allowing a runner of his own to score as the Red Wings jumped ahead 5-1 at the end of the seventh. Three of the four runs charged to Champlain in the game were earned, giving the right-hander his fourth quality start with Omaha this season.
The Red Wings added two more runs of insurance in the eighth, as four hits off Noah Murdock scored two runs and Omaha entered the ninth down 7-3.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Chasers started to rally as Cam Devanney led off the inning with a double. With two outs, Drew Waters singled home Devanney as they trimmed the deficit to five runs. Gentry followed with a double, his second extra-hit of the night, and plated Waters for a 7-3 score, which ended as the final for Omaha’s third straight loss.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Red Wings on Friday, August 2 as first pitch is slated for 5:45 p.m. CT and left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch IV starts for Omaha.
