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Zephyrs shut out by Omaha in series finale

Storm Chasers hold New Orleans to three hits to split four-game set
May 13, 2014

The New Orleans failed to produce a double-digit hit total for the first time in four games Tuesday and never got a runner past first base in a 5-0 loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park in Papillion, Neb.

Kyle Jensen singled off of Omaha starter Francisley Bueno in the second inning, but the Z's did not pick up their second hit until Jake Marisnick hit a single in the eighth inning against Brett Tomko (2-3), who also walked Justin Bour and Zack Cox in the course of four innings of relief after Bueno pitched the first three.

Mark Canha poked a two-out single to center field off of Spencer Patton in the ninth inning for the Z's third hit of the day, but Patton notched Omaha's 14th strikeout when he got Bour to chase a breaking ball in the next at-bat to end the game.

The Storm Chasers built their lead with three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings against New Orleans starter Elih Villanueva (3-2), although each of the runs came in separate innings.

Villanueva walked Jimmy Paredes with two outs in the first inning, and he came around to score on a base hit by Brian Fletcher after he had stolen second.

Omaha did not score again until the fifth when Brett Eibner made Villanueva pay for a one-out walk to Matt Fields with a run-scoring triple to center field.

An extra-base hit again hurt Villanueva the next inning when Paulo Orlando doubled home Paredes, who had led off the inning with a single.

Paredes got his second hit of the game and sixth in his last nine at-bats with a double in the seventh inning that drove in his ninth run in two games after Christian Colon had singled home Melky Mesa before Z's reliever Rett Varner could record an out.

Chris Hatcher took over for Varner to record the final six outs with three strikeouts, but the Zephyrs never produced a rally and will leave Nebraska with a split of their four-game series after they had won the first two.

The Z's have a day off Wednesday and will travel to face the Colorado Springs Sky Sox for four games to complete their road trip.

The series opener is scheduled to begin at 7:35 p.m. Thursday at Security Service Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.