3 Homers Power Chasers Past Clippers 9-2

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers (3-2/36-43) beat the Columbus Clippers (2-3/43-36) by a score of 9-2 on Saturday night behind the power of three home runs and a strong combined pitching effort.

Omaha was first onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning, on a 2-run homer from Gavin Cross, his fourth of the season and first Werner Park long ball.

After Storm Chasers starter Kris Bubic opened the game with 2.0 scoreless innings in his second Major League Rehab start of the week, Columbus countered with 2 runs off Ethan Bosacker in the top of the 3^rd inning to tie the game at 2-2. Abraham Toro quickly gave Omaha a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 3^rd with an RBI single, his second of four hits in the contest.

Behind Bubic and Bosacker, right-hander Ben Sears (5-0) took the mound in the top of the 4^th inning and worked 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out two.

Rudy Martin Jr. homered to open the bottom of the 5^th inning for Omaha, then two-out back-to-back doubles from Andrew Velazquez and Toro pushed the Chasers’ advantage to 5-2.

Dan Altavilla worked a scoreless 7^th inning and Genesis Cabrera worked a 1-2-3 inning in the 8^th, and Omaha added four more runs to the day’s tally in the bottom of the 8^th. Toro homered, capping off his 4-for-4 night with a 3^rd RBI. Martin Jr. drew a bases loaded walk and Peyton Wilson singled home a pair to push Omaha’s lead to 9-2.

Eli Morgan took the mound in the top of the 9^th and the Clippers loaded the bases, but Morgan stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout and flyout to end the game.

The Storm Chasers and Clippers wrap up the series at Werner Park Sunday with a 5:05 p.m. CT first pitch and left-hander Bailey Falter slated to start for Omaha.