Storm Chasers Sweep Doubleheader in Iowa

DES MOINES, IOWA – The Omaha Storm Chasers (7-6) swept the doubleheader Friday evening against the Iowa Cubs (7-6). Game 1 went extra-innings and saw Omaha’s John Rave reach base 5 times while Game 2 saw the Storm Chasers pitchers allow just 1 run through 7.0 innings and 5 different batters with an RBI.

GAME 1: OMAHA 6, IOWA 4 (9 Innings)

In Game 1, Omaha broke onto the board first with a trio of runs in the top of the 2nd inning, starting with an RBI single from Rave. Luca Tresh followed suit with an RBI single before the Cubs went to the bullpen. Peyton Wilson then drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Storm Chasers a 3-0 lead.

It took until the bottom of the 5th inning for the next runs to come across when Iowa’s Christian Bethancourt hit a 2-run home run off Omaha starter Aaron Sanchez to cut the lead to 3-2. Sanchez then turned the ball over to the bullpen, finishing his night with a season-high 4.2 innings, allowing just the 2 runs with 5 strikeouts.

Rave stayed hot for Omaha in the top of the 6th inning with another RBI, this time a double to make it 4-2.

Iowa followed with another 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning on an RBI single and RBI double to tie the game 4-4.

Omaha right-hander Eric Cerantola came in for the Storm Chasers in the bottom of the 7th inning and struck out the side to keep the game tied and send it to extras.

Neither team scored in the 8th inning as Cerantola worked another hitless and scoreless frame, but in the top of the 9th inning, Kameron Misner hit a 2-run single to take a 6-4 lead.

Andrew Pérez took over for Cerantola to begin the bottom of the 9th inning and worked out of the frame without allowing a run to earn his first save of the season.

GAME 2: OMAHA 6, IOWA 1 (7 Innings)

In Game 2, the Cubs scored first, adding their lone run of the contest in the bottom of the 1st inning on an RBI single off Omaha starter Ben Sears.

Neither team scored in the 2nd inning, but in the top of the 3rd inning, the Storm Chasers played 4 runs. It started with a sac fly from Omaha’s Connor Kaiser before Rave connected for an RBI double. Misner followed with his own RBI double, and Nick Loftin capped off the inning with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-1.

Sears then pitched a scoreless bottom of the 3rd inning before handing the ball to Omaha’s Beck Way for the 4th inning. Sears finished the night with 3.0 innings of 1-run ball.

The Storm Chasers scored 2 more runs in the top of the 6th inning thanks to a sac fly from Rave and RBI single from Kevin Newman that made it 6-1.

Way finished his night with 3.0 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out 4 before handing it to Chazz Martinez for the bottom of the 7th inning. Martinez then pitched a scoreless frame, finishing off the doubleheader sweep.

The win puts Omaha over .500 for the first time this season. Game 5 of the 6-game series between the Cubs and Storm Chasers returns to Principal Park at 3:08 P.M. CT on Saturday. Omaha expects left-hander Ryan Ramsey to make his 2nd start of the season.