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Storm Chasers Lose 7-5 as Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short

Wil Myers goes three-for-five with a two-run homer in the ninth
June 3, 2012

PAPILLION, Neb. - The Omaha Storm Chasers' modest three-game win streak was snapped on Sunday at the hands of the Memphis Redbirds. Despite the loss, Wil Myers continues to torch Triple-A pitching staffs with his three-hit performance to raise his batting average to .343. Myers' two-run bomb in the ninth inning was his sixth Triple-A home run and his 19th of the year when combined with his 13 round-trippers in Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Rehabbing Kansas City Royal Jonathan Sanchez started for Omaha (34-24) and battled with his control throughout his 2.2 innings on the mound, as he walked four in the third inning and allowed six runs to score. Blaine Hardy pitched 2.1 innings in relief of Sanchez and yielded one run while Jeremy Jeffress and Brandon Sisk rounded out the game and held the Redbirds (20-37) scoreless in their combined four innings on the hill.

After facing just three batters in the first, Sanchez allowed a homer to the first Memphis batter he faced in the second. From there, momentum began to roll the way of the Redbirds as the next two batters Sanchez faced singled and were brought home on a three-run home run by Cedric Hunter.

Sanchez then allowed the first batter he faced in the third to double and advance to third on a stolen base. From there, Memphis collected four consecutive walks to put the Chasers in a 6-0 hole. After the fourth walk, Hardy was summoned from the bullpen to stop the bleeding and did so by ending the inning without allowing any other runs. However, Hardy was tagged for a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to increase Omaha's deficit to 7-0.

It was in the fourth that the Chasers tallied their first run when a Kevin Kouzmanoff double was followed up two batters later by an Irving Falu RBI double. David Lough opened the sixth with a ground rule double and scored after stealing third and advancing on a Kouzmanoff ground out.

Things quieted down until the bottom of the ninth, when Derrick Robinson kicked the inning off with a double to right field. Myers then stepped to the plate and drove a 1-2 offering beyond the left field wall to bring the Storm Chasers within three. Two batters later, David Lough singled and then stole second. Max Ramirez singled to right to bring Lough in and inch Omaha closer to Memphis at 7-5. Kurt Mertins was inserted as pinch runner for Ramirez and wasted little time making an impact by stealing second base, with two outs. Unfortunately for Omaha, pinch hitter Anthony Seratelli flew out to center field to end the contest.

The Storm Chasers and Redbirds will lock horns for game three of this four-game series on Monday at 7:05 p.m. Monday's contest will feature $1.00 hot dogs thanks to our good friends at Rotella's The game against Memphis can be heard locally on AM 1180 and online at omahastormchasers.com.