Storm Chasers Beat Clippers 7-5

COLUMBUS, OHIO – After dropping a pair of games to the Columbus Clippers, the Omaha Storm Chasers came out on top with a 7-5 win Thursday night.

Major League rehabber Bailey Falter started Omaha’s bullpen game. The left-hander opened with a scoreless 1st inning, then Chandler Champlain followed with 3.0 scoreless frames, striking out 4 with a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd.

Omaha plated the first run of the game in the top of the 2nd. Tyler Gentry led off with a single, advancing to second on a Drew Waters sacrifice bunt. Peyton Wilson singled, then Kyle Hayes scored Gentry with a sacrifice fly to give the Storm Chasers a 1-0 advantage.

In the top of the 3rd, Omaha extended its lead to 2-0, as an RBI single from Waters scored Diego Castillo.

Beck Way replaced Champlain in the bottom of the 5th, and the Clippers took a 3-2 lead with a 2-run single and a sacrifice fly.

The Storm Chasers regained a 6-3 lead in the top of the 6^th and held on to lead the rest of the night. Gentry scored on a throwing error to tie the game, then a sacrifice fly from Hayes plated Waters. Wilson was singled in by Nick Pratto, who later scored on the 2nd Columbus error in the inning.

Way offered a scoreless 6^th and was relieved by Chazz Martinez in the 7^th inning. In the top of the 8th, Omaha extended its lead to 7-3 as Hayes scored on a Clippers fielding error.

Martinez returned in the 8th and struck out the side for a stretch of 5 consecutive strikeouts. Joey Krehbiel relieved Martinez in the 9th, and while the Clippers added 2 runs on a 2-run triple, Columbus’ rally ended there and the 7-5 Omaha victory was secured.

Omaha returns to action on Friday against the Columbus Clippers, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. CT at Huntington Park.