PAPILLION, NEB. — The Omaha Storm Chasers used a six-run seventh inning surge ahead of the Columbus Clippers for a 10-3 win Thursday at Werner Park.
Five pitches into the opening frame, the Clippers plated the first runs of the game with a two-run homer to left field off Omaha starter Chandler Champlain. In the fourth inning, Columbus added another run to increase the lead to 3-0.
While his Triple-A debut started rough with three straight hits, Champlain’s final line on the night saw him put up a quality start, with just the three runs over six innings pitched with five strikeouts and two walks. From the point of a double play that got the first two outs of the first inning, the right-hander faced three over the minimum to end his start, retiring his final seven hitters in order and nine of his last 10.
After three quiet innings, the Chasers scored their first runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Tyler Gentry doubled to open the inning, then Ryan Fitzgerald bunted for a single to score Gentry an get Omaha on the board. Omaha inched closer to the Columbus lead as Logan Porter crushed a home run to left center field in the bottom of the sixth inning to move the deficit to one run and a 3-2 Clippers lead.
With Omaha down by one, Colin Selby entered the mound for Omaha in the top of the seventh inning and worked around a leadoff walk to strand a potential run of insurance for the Clippers on third base.
Down by one run, Fitzgerald, John Rave and Drew Waters all singled to load the bases for Nick Loftin, who drilled a grand slam to left field and lifted the Chasers ahead for the first time in the game. After Porter singled, Nate Eaton then connected on a two-run home run to left field that increased the lead to 8-3 in favor of Omaha.
The scoring continued for the Omaha Storm chasers in the eighth inning, as Brian O’Keeefe opened the inning with a single and Fitzgerald connected on his sixth home run of the yea, a two-run shot to extend the lead to 10-3.
Over the first three games of the series, 13 of Omaha’s 26 runs have been scored in the seventh inning, with 19 of 26 coming in the seventh inning or later.
After Champlain’s quality start, three relievers held Columbus to 3.0 scoreless innings to end the game. After Selby’s scoreless seventh inning Evan Sisk and John McMillon followed and the trio combined to hold the Clippers to just three baserunners. The staff as a whole struck out 12, including McMillon punching out the final two batters of the game.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against Columbus Friday, May 24 at Werner Park with a 6:35 p.m. CT first pitch.
