INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – The Omaha Storm Chasers swept the Indianapolis Indians in the doubleheader at Victory Field, with 3-2 and 7-1 wins Thursday evening.
Game 1: OMAHA 3, INDIANAPOLIS 2 (FINAL/8)
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Indians opened the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer off Chasers starter Chandler Champlain for an early 1-0 lead. Champlain kept it to just the one run in the first, then cruised through the end of the fourth inning, as Indy put four runners on, but didn’t get anyone past first base.
Omaha took its first lead in the fourth inning as Devin Mann singled to start the inning, then Nick Pratto walked to put two runners on base for Ryan Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald doubled home Mann and Pratto for a 2-1 Omaha lead that held into the fifth.
Indianapolis answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning as three straight two-out hits off Champlain tied the score at 2-2. Champlain finished 5.0 innings, with six strikeouts and just the two runners, but did not earn a decision as he exited with the game tied.
Right-hander Colin Selby entered the mound in the sixth inning for the Chasers and worked around a leadoff walk and struck out three straight to keep the game tied. Selby then worked around a single in the seventh to force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, Drew Waters ripped a double to right field and scored placed runner Cam Devanney for a 3-2 lead favor of the Chasers. Dan Altavilla closed the game out with a strikeout and double play as Chasers took the first game and Atavilla earned his second save of the year.
Game 2: OMAHA 7, INDIANAPOLIS 1 (FINAL/7)
As the second game of the doubleheader got under way, making up a rainout from April 26, the Storm Chasers set the tone early as starting pitcher Walter Pennington struck out the side in the opening frame, his first of 3.0 scoreless innings.
In the bottom of the first, Omaha drew five walks, including bases-loaded free passes consecutive to Logan Porter and Ryan Fitzgerald to allow the Chasers to take an early 2-0 lead.
Omaha added more damage going in the top of the second inning as Cam Devanney and John Rave walked, then CJ Alexander singled Devanney home, Porter singled in Rave and Fitzgerald doubled in Alexander to bring Omaha’s lead up to 5-0.
The Storm Chasers grew the lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning, once again loading the bases with walks with a Porter sacrifice fly plating Rave, who drew three of Omaha’s 11 walks in the victory.
Left-hander Anthony Veneziano relieved Pennington in the fourth inning and worked around a pair of baserunners before a leadoff single in the fifth inning ended his day. Right-hander Tyler Duffey inherited that runner in the fifth inning and loaded the bases with an Omaha error and two walks, allowing Veneziano’s runner to score unearned, trimming Omaha’s lead to 6-1.
The Storm Chasers immediately countered Indy’s first run of the game as Devanney opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple, then scored on an RBI single for Rave as an insurance run to move the score to 7-1.
Duffey worked a scoreless sixth inning for a total of 2.0 scoreless innings, striking out two batters on just two hits and allowing the inherited runner to score.
Steven Cruz came entered the game in the seventh to record the final three outs, striking out two in a scoreless seventh inning to secure the doubleheader sweep for Omaha.
Winners of three straight, the Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Indianapolis Indians Friday, May 31 at Victory Field as first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT and right-handed pitcher Luis Cessa is slated to start for Omaha.
