I-Cubs Hold Off Omaha 5-3

Iowa starter Duane Underwood Jr. tossed six and two-thirds innings of shutout ball as the Cubs held off a late ninth-inning Omaha charge led by right fielder Paulo Orlando in a 5-3 victory over the Storm Chasers on Friday evening at Werner Park.

Underwood (6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K) with the win stretched his scoreless inning streak to 13.2 frames after a stellar seven-inning shutout performance on May 6 at Round Rock. He did not yield a hit until the fifth inning, facing the minimum over that span, which included a free pass.
Reliever Randy Rosario (1.1 IP, K) received his second hold and Shae Simmons (0.2 IP, H, BB, K) notched his second save. Storm Chasers starter Heath Fillmyer (6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) suffered the defeat to fall to 2-3. Omaha southpaw Richard Lovelady (2.0 IP, BB, K) followed with two hitless innings of scoreless work.
Iowa struck for a two-spot in the third, before doubling that advantage to four in the sixth. An additional insurance run came plateward in the ninth before the Storm Chasers' last ditch comeback effort. Omaha C Cam Gallagher drew a bases-loaded walk prior to Orlando clubbing to two-run single to left to narrow the margin to two. The Cubs, however, were able to quell the rally from that point on with the would-be winning run on first base to end the game.
I-Cubs SS Mike Freeman (2-4, RBI) was the lone hitter from either side to record a multi-hit effort. Thanks to his two-run knock in the ninth, Orlando has now driven in a total of five runs over his last two contests.
Omaha begins an eight-game road trip on Saturday with a four-game set in New Orleans. First pitch of the series opener at the Shrine on Airline is scheduled for 6:00pm CT. RHP Scott Barlow (1-0, 1.08) is anticipated to toe the rubber for the Storm Chasers, with the Baby Cakes expected to send RHP Trevor Richards (1-0, 2.51) to the hill.
Following their road trip, Omaha returns to Werner Park to start a nine-game homestand on Monday, May 21. That evening's series opener is scheduled for 6:35pm 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.