Omaha Shut out by Columbus 3-0 in Series Opener

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Columbus Clippers 3-0 in the series opener Wednesday night at Huntington Park.

On a rainy night, both teams struggled to score in the first two innings of the game, but Columbus fought their way to reaching the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the third inning, Clippers first baseman Kyle Manzardo hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Lorenzo Cedrola from third base. Columbus tried to threaten with a runner in scoring position as Johnathan Rodriguez was walked by Omaha starter Jonathan Bowlan but he ended the inning stranded on base. The Storm Chasers threatened with three runners on base in the first four innings of the game but failed on to bring one home.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Manzardo blasted a two-run home run to right center field off reliever Dan Altavilla to put the Clippers up 3-0, as the Clippers first baseman drove in all three runs of the game.

Both starting pitchers took over the series opener with a combined 10 strikeouts. Clippers starting pitcher Xzavion Curry ended his day with seven strikeouts over 2.2 scoreless innings, while Bowlan pitched struck out three over 4.0 innings of one-run ball.

The closest the Storm Chasers came to putting runs on the board was in the sixth inning. Nick Pratto walked with one out, then stole second and Tyler Gentry walked as well. CJ Alexander and Devin Mann each had a six pitch at-bat to bring home Pratto and Gentry but both struck out to strand the tying run at the plate.

Omaha pitchers finished the with nine strikeouts between five pitchers, including two each from relievers Altavilla, John McMillon and Tyler Duffey. Evan Sisk, McMillon and Duffey combined for 3.0 hitless and scoreless innings to keep Columbus off the board to end the night.

Offensively, the Storm Chasers only mustered three hits – all doubles. Tyler Tolbert doubled to open the game, his first Triple-A hit, John Rave doubled in the fifth and Cam Devanney doubled in the seventh but all three were stranded on base, as Omaha stranded all seven baserunners the team put on in the game.

The shutout was Omaha’s second straight offensively a stretch of 18.0 innings without scoring. 18 strikeouts at the plate mark the most by the team’s hitters in a game since the team struck out 19 times on September 18, 2022 at Columbus.

The Storm Chasers continue this six-game series on the road against the Columbus Clippers on Thursday, April 4 in a doubleheader at Huntington Park beginning with a 3:15 p.m. CT first pitch. Game two starts approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.