Melendez Homer Walks Off Clippers

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth and MJ Melendez hit a walk-off home run to beat the Columbus Clippers 9-7.

The first half of the game was even – with both teams scoring a run in the second inning – the only runs prior to the sixth inning. Omaha starter Jacob Wallace allowed a solo home run, while Tyler Gentry and Luca Tresh hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 1-1.

Wallace allowed just the one run and hit over 3.0 innings to open the Chasers’ bullpen game and struck out three. Behind Wallace, Stephen Nogosek fired 3.0 scoreless frames and struck out 4 to keep the game tied.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Nelson Velázquez walked and Gentry singled, then Tresh doubled the pair in for a 3-1 Omaha lead, his second RBI double of the night.

Over the final third of the game, the Clippers mounted a comeback, beginning with a run in the seventh against Storm Chasers reliever Noah Murdock. Omaha responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, as John Rave doubled and scored on a stolen base and throwing error, then Melendez brought Nick Loftin home with a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 Omaha lead.

Murdock surrendered two more runs to the Clippers in the top of the eighth, and Omaha could not add additional insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Chasers a 5-4 lead into the ninth.

Andrew Hoffmann got the final out of the eighth behind Murdock but struggled in the ninth, as a walk, error, sac fly and two singles plated three runs for the Clippers, as Omaha went from up by one run to down by two, headed into the bottom of the ninth.

Rave and Loftin walked to open the bottom of the ninth, then Cam Devanney singled Rave in for a 7-6 Columbus advantage. Melendez followed in the order and crushed a three-run homer to right field, a 435-foot shot for a 9-7 Omaha win.

The Storm Chasers return to action Saturday at 7:05 p.m. CT and will play for a series win against the Clippers.