Omaha Blows Out Iowa to Snap Streak

PAPILLION, NE – The Iowa Cubs (50-69) snapped a four-game winning streak on Saturday at Werner Park, dropping their first game of the series to the Omaha Storm Chasers (65-54) by a final score of 14-3.

The Storm Chasers got started early, taking advantage of Luis Lugo’s control issues to take the first lead of the game. Lugo walked four batters in the first, including all of the first three men he faced, but was able to escape with minimal damage thanks to a double play turned behind him. Omaha sent six men to the plate and scored one run without a hit in the first.

Iowa had an answer, tying it up in the next inning on a single from Tyler Ladendorf and an RBI triple from Levi Jordan. That score didn’t hold for long, however, as Omaha used a single and two doubles to score two more runs in their half of the second, putting them back in front, 3-1.

Lugo continued to pitch around trouble through the middle innings, stranding a double in the third and a single in the fourth. The I-Cubs drove in another run in the fourth to draw within one, but Nick Pratto’s solo homer in the fifth extended Omaha’s lead once again. After five innings, the Storm Chasers led by a score of 4-2.

Iowa scored one more in the seventh on a pair of doubles, but after that, it was all Omaha. The Storm Chasers jumped on Iowa’s bullpen, tagging Marcus Walden for three runs (one earned) in his 1.1 innings of work in the sixth and seventh.

Walden handed the game over to Bryan Hudson for his Triple-A debut with one out in the seventh, but Omaha didn’t let up. After Hudson walked the first man he faced, Angelo Castellano launched a grand slam to put the Storm Chasers up 8-3. Only three pitches later, the next batter, Francisco Mejía, hit a homer of his own to extend Omaha’s lead to 9-3.

The Storm Chasers weren’t done, however. They kicked off the eighth inning with two more walks and a double to load the bases, and then MJ Melendez hit the second grand slam of the game. That slam marked the final runs of the contest, and Omaha took home their first victory of the series by a final score of 14-3.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Levi Jordan went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and a sacrifice fly tonight. It was his sixth multi-hit game and his fourth multi-RBI game with Iowa this season.
• Tonight marked Brennen Davis’ fourth multi-hit game out of five total games he’s played for Iowa so far. Davis went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk.
• Infielder Bryan Serra made his second relief appearance of the season in tonight's game. He surrendered a hit and a walk but got the final two outs for the I-Cubs. It was the fourth time this season that a position player has taken the mound for Iowa.
• Iowa’s pitching staff combined for nine walks tonight, which ties the team’s season high for a single game. It was the fourth time this season that Iowa has reached that mark.

Iowa and Omaha will wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon at Werner Park, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.