Quality start from Cox leads Omaha in complete-game effort over Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa – In the quickest game in franchise history, the Omaha Storm Chasers (30-31) beat the Iowa Cubs (28-34) 8-2. The game took just 1:55, a minute less than Omaha’s win over Columbus at Werner Park on May 5. The I-Cubs still hold the series lead 2-1.

The Storm Chasers tallied the games first run for the first time in the series, scoring a trio of runs in the second. 2B Michael Massey started the rally with a walk and moved to second on a groundout from C Cam Gallagher. Massey stole third base with two outs before a single from 3B Clay Dungan plated Omaha’s first run. CF Brewer Hicklen hit his eighth home run on the next pitch to put the Storm Chasers ahead 3-0.

The I-Cubs responded with a homer of their own on the first pitch thrown in the bottom of the second to cut into the Storm Chasers’ lead.

Omaha kept the momentum going in the third when 1B Nick Pratto hit an infield single and RF Edward Olivares hit a single through the left side of the infield. DH Vinnie Pasquantino hit into a force out that retired Olivares but left runners at the corners with two outs. The Chasers stranded the pair to keep the lead at 3-1.

LHP Austin Cox (Win, 1-3) gave up another homer in the bottom of third to cut the Chasers lead to just one.

Olivares hit his first homer during his MLB rehab assignment with two outs in the fifth. Pasquantino hit a single before Massey hit his first Triple-A home run over the 20-foot wall in left field to push the lead back to 6-2.

Pratto started the top of the seventh with his third triple of the season but ended up stranded 90 feet from home. The I-Cubs decided to intentionally walk Pasquantino with one out, allowing them to turn a double play to end the inning.

The Chasers extended their lead with a solo homer from Hicklen and a solo shot from LF Nate Eaton, marking the second time this season the Storm Chasers have hit back-to-back homers and make the score 8-2 through eight innings.

Cox earned his second quality start of the season, throwing 7.0 innings of two-run ball. Cox gave up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts on just 88 pitches.

Omaha’s pitching staff combined to retire the final 16 Iowa batters. RHP Ándres Núñez threw the eighth inning with a strikeout and LHP Sam Freeman tossed the ninth with one strikeout to complete the 8-2 Storm Chasers win.

Omaha continues the I-80 series with Iowa on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone.

Next week, Omaha returns home to host Columbus. That series features Girl Scout Night on Friday, June 24 and ‘90s Night on Saturday, June 25.

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.