Porter caps off rollercoaster matchup with ninth-inning homer to lift the Chasers over the Clippers

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time this season, the Storm Chasers have secured a series win on the road with an 8-7 win at Huntington Park on Friday night. Omaha (69-70) has taken each of the first four games over Columbus (78-59), matching the Storm Chasers’ longest winning streak of the season.

Omaha got on the scoreboard first, with Maikel Garcia starting the game with a hit for the third night in a row. Center fielder Dairon Blanco hit a single to score Garcia before left fielder Brent Rooker launched a three-run homer to put the Chasers up 4-0.

Blanco is riding a six-game RBI streak, the first Storm Chaser with an RBI streak of five or more games this season. Rooker continues his hot Storm Chasers start, now with five home runs in 10 games for Triple-A Omaha. He is also the fourth Storm Chaser to earn a 10-game hit streak this season.

Columbus answered in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on a Storm Chaser error before a bases-loaded walk put Omaha’s lead at two runs.

The Storm Chasers tacked on another run when Rooker grounded out in the third inning that allowed third baseman Nick Loftin to score and put the score at 5-2.

The Clippers took their first lead of the game in the fifth. George Valera hit a sacrifice fly before David Fry hit a double to score two more runs. Oscar Mercado singled to break the tie and give Columbus a 6-5 lead.

In the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, Omaha put the game-tying run on third and the go-ahead run at second, but the first two times, the Storm Chasers came up empty. The eighth was a different story.

Second baseman Clay Dungan hit an infield single that allowed Porter to score before a wild pitch brought in shortstop Iván Castillo to retake the lead for Omaha.

Columbus tied the score on back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the frame. Ultimately it was Will Brennan who doubled to left field to score Mitchell Tolman and make the score 7-7.

First baseman Logan Porter sent his third Triple-A home run over the wall in left-center field to put Omaha ahead 8-7 in the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Omaha brought in right-hander Andrés Núñez. Núñez entered with a save in each of his last six appearances. He struck out the side, needing just 10 pitches to earn his seventh straight save and secure the 8-7 win.

The Storm Chasers and Clippers will play a Saturday matinee for game five, with first pitch scheduled for 11:05 a.m. CDT. Coverage will start at 10:45 a.m. on the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone. Omaha looks to start left-hander Angel Zerpa (0-0, 3.00) and Columbus is scheduled to have Xzavion Curry on the mound.

After this road trip, the Storm Chasers return home for their final home series of the season, taking on their I-80 rivals, the Iowa Cubs. Omaha and Iowa will play six games in five days with a doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday, starting at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday’s series opener is scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m.

On Saturday, September 24, the Storm Chasers will host Fan Appreciation Night presented by Werner Enterprises, with a post-game concert from Flo Rida.

The full 2022 schedule can be found here and single-game tickets are now available here.

For more tickets and more information, please visit omahastormchasers.com, call the Werner Park Ticket office at (402) 738-5100, and follow the team on social media. You can follow the team on Twitter @omastormchasers, on Instagram @omahastormchasers, and “like” the team on Facebook at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.