Greinke guides Chasers to Saturday win over I-Cubs

DES MOINES, IA - Right-hander Zack Greinke tossed 7.0 innings in his second rehab start while catcher Cam Gallagher homered and drove in four runs to help the Omaha Storm Chasers defeat the Iowa Cubs, 9-3, on Saturday at Principal Park.

Greinke (Win, 2-0) allowed three runs on six hits—including one home run—while issuing one walk and striking out four in 7.0 innings, throwing 70 pitches (51 strikes). He needed 10 or fewer pitches in four of his seven innings, including each of his last three, at one point throwing 19 consecutive strikes between the fourth and seventh innings. The 7.0 innings marked his longest start of the season at any level, and was the longest start at the Triple-A level of his career, surpassing his previous Triple-A best of 6.0 innings on May 17, 2004 vs. Fresno, his final Triple-A start before his Major League debut.

The Storm Chasers (31-32) took an early lead over the I-Cubs (29-35) in the top of the first inning when first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino drove in outfielder Roman Quinn with a single up the middle against right-hander Robert Gsellman (Loss, 1-3). It was Pasquantino's 60th RBI of the season, making him the first player in Minor League Baseball and just the third in affiliated baseball (joining Pete Alonso - NYM and José Ramírez - CLE) to reach 60 RBIs this season.

Omaha added four runs in the third. Second baseman Michael Massey drove in the first run of the inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly before Gallagher drilled a three-run homer to left-center to extend the lead to 5-0.

Iowa scored its first run in the fourth inning when Jared Young singled, moved to second on a groundout and scored on an opposite field bloop single by David Bote, who was making a rehab appearance with the I-Cubs. Young drove in Iowa's only other runs of the game with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

The Storm Chasers responded with two runs in the fifth. Gallagher collected his fourth RBI of the game with a double to plate Massey before later scoring on an RBI single by outfielder Brewer Hicklen. Hicklen added an RBI double in the seventh to extend Omaha's lead to 8-3 and ultimately finished the game 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Gallagher went 2-for-5 with a home run, double, and four RBIs in the 10th game of his rehab assignment.

Shortstop Iván Castillo capped the Chasers' scoring with a solo home run—his second of the series—in the ninth inning.

Right-handers Colten Brewer and Collin Snider combined for the final six outs, tossing a scoreless eighth and ninth, respectively, after Greinke exited.

The Storm Chasers conclude their series with Iowa on Sunday at Principal Park, when right-hander Jackson Kowar (3-4, 5.72) is scheduled to face Iowa right-hander Cam Sanders (0-2, 2.37). First pitch is slated for 1:08 p.m. and coverage beings at 12:45 p.m. with the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone.

Following their series with the Iowa Cubs, the Storm Chasers return to Werner Park on Tuesday to begin a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers, featuring a 12:05 first pitch on Tuesday, Girl Scout Night on Friday, June 24, and ‘90s Night on Saturday, June 25.

The full 2022 schedule can be found here and single-game tickets are now available here.

For more tickets and more information, please visit omahastormchasers.com, call the Werner Park Ticket office at (402) 738-5100, and follow the team on social media. You can follow the team on Twitter @omastormchasers, on Instagram @omahastormchasers, and “like” the team on Facebook at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.