Chasers Walk off I-Cubs for Second Straight Game

PAPILLION, NE. – For the second straight game, the Omaha Storm Chasers beat the Iowa Cubs in extra-inning, walk-off fashion, as a sacrifice fly in the 10^th inning secured a 7-6 win for Omaha to improve to 2-0 in 2024.

Similar to the night before on Opening Day, Iowa controlled the first half of the game, as the Cubs led 2-0 at the halfway point in the game, through the middle of the fifth inning. Starting pitcher Anthony Veneziano held the I-Cubs to one run over three innings, then relief pitcher Luis Cessa behind him surrendered just one run in 2.2 innings of work.

Logan Porter opened the bottom of the fifth with a single, then John Rave promptly tied the game with a two-run homer. After Drew Waters singled and stole second, Nick Pratto singled him in to give the Chasers their first lead of the afternoon.

Omaha added three more runs in the sixth inning, as Cam Devanney doubled home Mike Brosseau, then Ryan Fitzgerald and Tyler Gentry drew bases-loaded walks for a 6-2 Storm Chasers lead.

Behind Veneziano and Cessa, Jonah Dipoto and Evan Sisk combined for 2.1 scoreless innings and Omaha led by four going into the ninth. John McMillon struggled in his Storm Chasers debut, as he put on four baserunners of the five batters he faced, with all four coming around to score. Sam Long inherited two baserunners from McMillon that both scored, to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra-innings.

Jacob Wallace stranded the inherited runner on base in his Triple-A debut, with a scoreless 10^th inning and it only took five pitches for Omaha to win the game in the bottom of the 10^th. Devin Mann opened the inning as the placed runner on second base and after a wild pitch moved him to third, Brosseau ended the game with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Mann for another one-run victory.

Andrew Hoffmann starts Sunday as he tries to help the Storm Chasers open up 3-0 for a second straight season, with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch on tap in the series finale at Werner Park.