Tacoma Breaks Tie, Takes Win Over Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha Storm Chasers (22-24) failed to get back .500 as the Tacoma Rainiers (19-27) scored in the ninth on a sacrifice fly to break up a 3-3 tie. A two-out rally in the bottom of ninth fell short as the Storm Chasers stranded a runner at second base, giving Omaha their second loss this homestand.

After the Rainiers took a 3-0 lead, scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, the Storm Chasers got a bit unlucky with the bases loaded in the sixth. With no outs Brett Eibner just missed a grand slam, as his fly ball hit toward the top of the left-center wall and resulted in only a two-RBI single. Omaha could not cash in any more runs that inning as the next three batters were retired, but did tie the game in the seventh as Whit Merrifield stole second and third then scored on a Rey Fuentes sac fly.

Omaha starter Aaron Brooks and former Storm Chasers left-hander Mike Montgomery, making his first appearance against the organization that drafted him, both tossed quality starts but were left out of the decision. Brooks has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his seven starts, and upped his team-leading strikeout total to 46 with seven on the night. Louis Coleman suffered the loss giving up only his third run in 22.0 innings this year.

Rey Fuentes continued his hot hitting with his fourth multi-hit game in his last five appearances, and has racked up 11 hits in 20 at-bats in that span (.550 average). The two RBI for Eibner gives him 19 on the season in just 18 games, third most RBI on the Storm Chasers. Alex Rios went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his second MLB Rehab start.

In the third game of the series Omaha will send out LHP John Lamb (4-1, 3.55 ERA), who will look to add to his team-leading win total. He will face off with Rainiers RHP Stephen Landazuri (0-0, 10.57 ERA), with first pitch on 1180 Zone 2 The Deuce and MiLB.TV scheduled for 6:35 p.m.