Omaha Winning Streak Ends in 7-6 Loss to Gwinnett

PAPILLION, NEB.- The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Gwinnett Stripers 7-6 Friday night at Werner Park, breaking the team's season-long five-game winning streak.

For a third straight night, the Stripers took an early lead, this time with four quick runs as a pair of walks and three base hits opened the game to plate four runs before an out was recorded. Omaha starting pitcher Luis Cessa struggled to get out of the first inning but was able to stop the bleeding after facing nine batters in a 45-pitch inning.

Cessa was replaced by Anthony Veneziano in the top of the second inning and quickly quieted the game down with 3 strikeouts over 3.0 scoreless innings.

It took Omaha a few innings to get going, as Logan Porter was stranded on first base after singling in the first inning, then the Chasers left a pair in scoring position in the second inning, when Devin Mann was hit by a pitch and Ryan Fitzgerald ripped a double to right field but neither came home to score.

Finally in the bottom of the fourth, Mike Brosseau reached base with a one-out walk, then scored moments later on Fitzgerald's first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field that cut the score in half 4-2 in favor of the Stripers.

Gwinnett had a slow counter to the home run, scoring single runs in each of the next three innings. After his 3.0 scoreless innings, Veneziano was relieved by John McMillon in the top of the fifth inning and the Omaha's third pitcher allowed a run on a trio of singles.

Despite allowing a run, McMillion punched out two, before handing the ball off to Dan Altavilla in the top of the sixth inning. A triple and a Leury García single added a run in the sixth, then Altavilla was tagged for one more in the seventh, on a walk and a Sandy León single, which made the score 7-2 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

Tyler Duffey quieted the Gwinnett bats with a scoreless eighth inning, then left-hander Sam Long fired a scoreless ninth as the fifth and sixth arms of the game for the Chasers gave Omaha a chance to get back in the game.

Mann cut the deficit down to three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he ripped a two-run home run to left field. Fitzgerald followed moments later with a double to right field , his third hit of the game, but he ended the inning stranded on third base.

Omaha got to work once again in the bottom of the ninth, as Drew Waters drew a walk and Porter brought him home with a two-run homer, his team-best fourth long ball of the year to cut the deficit down to 7-6, which ended as the final score. While Tyler Gentry walked and Mann singled, the two ended the game left on base, with the tying and winning runs on.

The Storm Chasers continue this six-game series against the Stripers on Saturday April 13 at Werner Park as right-handed pitcher William Fleming takes the mound for Omaha with a 2:05 p.m. CT first pitch.