A pitchers' duel turned into a back-and-forth affair as the Storm Chasers countered Baby Cakes first baseman Jon Rodriguez's seventh-inning grand slam with a four-run eighth, including a two-run single from first baseman Frank Schwindel and catcher Cam Gallagher 's go-ahead run-scoring single, in Omaha's 5-4 victory over New Orleans
A pitchers' duel turned into a back-and-forth affair as the Storm Chasers countered Baby Cakes first baseman Jon Rodriguez's seventh-inning grand slam with a four-run eighth, including a two-run single from first baseman Frank Schwindel and catcher Cam Gallagher 's go-ahead run-scoring single, in Omaha's 5-4 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday evening at Werner Park.
The triumph was the 301st regular managerial win in Storm Chasers manager Brian Poldberg's tenure as skipper with Omaha. He ranks second in franchise history behind only former longtime manager Mike Jirschele (995).
Rodriguez mashed the first grand slam allowed by the Storm Chasers this season in the seventh to put the Baby Cakes ahead 4-1. Omaha, however, answered right back one inning later with a four-run spurt of their own. Following a RBI groundout by SS Adalberto Mondesi , Schwindel and Gallagher boosted a two-out rally with their respective knocks to move the Storm Chasers back in front for good. Omaha broke a scoreless draw in the sixth when 3B Humberto Arteaga came plateward on a wild pitch.
Gallagher (2-4, 2B, RBI), Arteaga (2-3, 2 R, 2B) and CF Billy Burns (2-3, R, BB) paced the Omaha offense with two knocks apiece, matched by Baby Cakes CF Magneuris Sierra (2-5) and C Chad Wallach (2-3, 2B) in posting multi-hit efforts. With his two base hits, Gallagher continued his strong 2018 campaign in which he has tallied a hit in 16 of his 21 contests, along with a .354 average (23-65) in 17 May matchups.
Omaha starter Scott Barlow (7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 6 K) and his New Orleans counterpart Sandy Alcantara (7.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) both dazzled with near spotless resumes until the late innings, though both ultimately received no-decisions. Barlow set down 18 of his first 21 batters faced and encountered no peril until the seventh frame, while Alcantara retired each 15 of his first 17 adversaries before faltering in the eighth.
After the Baby Cakes' bats awakened in the seventh, relievers Eric Stout (1.0 IP) and Brandon Maurer (1.0 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K) were able to stave off rally attempts in the final two frames. Stout earned his second win, while Maurer notched his third save. New Orleans righty Severino González (0.2 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB) suffered the defeat.
The two teams will complete their four-game set on Thursday evening at Werner Park. RHP Glenn Sparkman (2-0, 0.69) is anticipated to make his Werner Park debut for the Storm Chasers, with the Baby Cakes slated to send LHP Dillon Peters (0-1, 3.75) to the hill. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
Tickets are still available for that game and all Storm Chasers contests throughout the 2018 season, and may be purchased at www.omahastormchasers.com/tickets as well as by calling the Werner Park Ticket Office at (402) 738-5100. To view Ticket Office hours, please click here.
