Rave Homers Twice but Omaha Falls in Louisville 6-5

LOUISVILLE, KY. – Despite a pair of home runs from John Rave, the Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Louisville Bats, 6-5 at Louisville Slugger Field Wednesday afternoon.

Rave opened the game with a solo homer, his third such long ball of the season, giving Omaha a 1-0 lead. He increased the Chasers’ advantage in the third, as Tyler Tolbert walked and the pair scored on a two-run homer from Rave. The game marks Rave’s four career multi-homer game, with now 5 of his 6 home runs in 2025 coming against the Bats.

Louisville promptly tied the game in the bottom of the third, with back-to-back home runs off Omaha starter Chandler Champlain for a 3-3 score. Luca Tresh singled in one run in the fourth and after Rave opened the fifth with a double, Harold Castro drove him in with a sac fly for a 5-3 Storm Chasers lead at the halfway point in the game.

Champlain allowed the first two batters of the sixth inning to reach, then recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout to end his day. Right-hander Ryan Brady followed Champlain and allowed both inherited runner to score, tying the game at 5-5. Brady got the final two outs of the sixth and returned to the mound in the seventh, surrendering the go-ahead run with three singles for a 6-5 Louisville lead that held to be final.

Eric Cerantola retired all four batters he faced behind Brady, the final out of the seventh and a 1-2-3 eighth inning, but Omaha was held quiet offensively in the second half of the game. After a walk to Nelson Velázquez in the fifth, the next 10 Storm Chasers were retired in order. Nick Pratto opened the ninth with a single but Omaha couldn’t bring the tying run across, falling for the second straight game.

Thomas Hatch heads to the mound for Omaha Thursday with a 5:35 p.m. CT first pitch against the Bats at Louisville Slugger Field.