Omaha catcher Andrew Susac and left fielder Jorge Bonifacio both blasted home runs, yet the Storm Chasers were unable to erase an early deficit as the New Orleans Baby Cakes earned a series split with a 4-3 victory in front of a season-high 8,019 fans on Monday afternoon at Werner
Omaha catcher Andrew Susac and left fielder Jorge Bonifacio both blasted home runs, yet the Storm Chasers were unable to erase an early deficit as the New Orleans Baby Cakes earned a series split with a 4-3 victory in front of a season-high 8,019 fans on Monday afternoon at Werner Park.
New Orleans LF Gabriel Guerrero opened the scoring in the first frame with an RBI double off the center field wall. Baby Cakes 2B Yadiel Rivera added a run-scoring single to right in fifth, while SS Deven Marrero and 1B Matt Snyder one inning later each drove in a run with a triple and double, respectively, to increase the advantage to four. Susac slammed his two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth before Bonifacio's blast in the seventh, however the Storm Chasers were unable to complete their comeback effort.
Rivera (2-5, R, RBI) and Guerrero (2-4, 2B, RBI) each collected two knocks for New Orleans in the victory. Omaha SS Jecksson Flores (2-5, 2 2B), meanwhile, was the only batter from his side to tally a multi-hit game with his pair of doubles. Storm Chasers 3B Kelvin Gutierrez clubbed a third-inning single, meaning he has reached base in all 11 games played while posting a knock in all but one of those matchups.
Baby Cakes reliever José Quijada (1.1 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, K) earned the win in support of starter Elieser Hernandez (4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K), who fell one out shy of qualifying for the victory. R.J. Alvarez (1.1 IP, 3 K) notched his first save of the year by striking out three of the four batters he faced, while Omaha southpaw Jonathan Dziedzic (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) suffered the defeat.
The Storm Chasers begin a seven-game road trip with a three-game series in Oklahoma City starting on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. Omaha is slated to send RHP Arnaldo Hernandez (0-1, 4.50), while the Dodgers are expected to give the nod to RHP Brock Stewart (0-0, 3.86).
Following that road trip, the Storm Chasers return to Werner Park to start a five-game homestand with the Memphis Redbirds on Wednesday, April 24. First pitch for that night's series opener is set for 6:35pm CT.
Tickets are available for that game and all remaining 2019 Storm Chasers home contests, and may be purchased online at www.omahastormchasers.com/tickets, or through the Werner Park Ticket Office during open hours from noon until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday either in-person or by calling (402) 738-5100.
