Omaha Puts Final Touches on 11-1 Homestand

Omaha made the most of the longest homestand in Werner Park history.

The Storm Chasers downed Iowa 8-3 Sunday to finish a 12-game home stretch with an 11-1 record, surging to a six-game lead in the Triple-A East Midwest Division standings with a 21-8 mark overall.

Bubba Starling and Gabriel Cancel each homered twice as Omaha improved to 15-3 at home and won for the 13th time in its last 14 games. For Starling, it was his third two-homer game in his last five starts.

Ryan O’Hearn also homered as the Chaser made the most of their 10 hits. The only run Omaha scored that didn’t come on a home run was in the first inning on Meibrys Viloria’s sacrifice fly to center field.

The Chasers took five of six games from the Cubs (10-18) one week after sweeping six from Indianapolis.

“These guys have been phenomenal,” Omaha manager Brian Poldberg said. “We might have been down a few times, but they’ve always come back. I’d have to look, but over the course of this homestand, we had to have at least 15 two-out RBIs. When you’re getting two-out RBIs, it takes pressure off everybody. I’ve got to give kudos to our hitters for battling with two strikes and two outs and getting runs in.”

Most of the damage the Chasers did Sunday came early in the inning, however. Starling and O'Hearn led off consecutive innings with solo shots. And Cancel’s three-run blast in the eighth came with no outs.

Cancel and Starling hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, but Omaha continued to get production from its entire lineup. Seven different players had at least one hit. Four of them finished with two apiece.

“Cancel is on fire with home runs, and Bubba is on fire. And they’re hitting six and seven (in the order),” Poldberg said. “You know O’Hearn and (Ryan) McBroom are going to get theirs. And we’ve got this going and (Kyle) Isbel hasn’t even got hot yet. When you’re going good, different people pick you up every night.”

Jace Vines (3-2) was credited with the win in relief, pitching two scoreless innings after spot-starter Jake Kalish handled the first four. The Chasers used six pitchers in all in their fourth consecutive win over Iowa.

“I’ve got to give kudos to the bullpen,” Poldberg said. “The bullpen has done a great job. Our defense has done a good job. It’s been a total effort, which is what you need to win that many games in a row.”