Storm Chasers bats kept quiet in loss to Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Omaha Storm Chasers (16-19) fell in the final game of the series 8-0 to the Iowa Cubs (19-16) on Sunday, dropping five-of-six in the first series between the two teams this season.

CF Dairon Blanco started the game after a 48-minute rain delay with a bunt single before stealing his International League-leading 13th stolen bases to move into scoring position in the first inning for the Storm Chasers. Omaha would come away empty in the first frame after three consecutive strikeouts from Iowa’s starter.

LHP Kris Bubic (loss, 0-1) struggled in the first, allowing two walks to start the inning. The I-Cubs plated two to take an early lead over the Storm Chasers.

In the top of the second, RF Brewer Hicklen hit the first pitch of the inning into left field for a leadoff double. LF Clay Dungan moved Hicklen to third on a flyout to right field, but Hicklen would get left on base, keeping the Storm Chasers off the scoreboard.

Bubic would throw 2.2 innings in his Triple-A debut, allowing Iowa to score three runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts before leaving in the middle of the third inning.

RHP Ándres Núñez would come in to finish the third and work around a leadoff double in the fourth but allowed a homer to the I-Cubs to make Omaha’s deficit 4-0.

With two away in the sixth, 1B Vinnie Pasquantino drew a walk and moved to second on a line drive single from 2B Gabriel Cancel into centerfield. Pasquantino and Cancel would get left on base with the score favoring the I-Cubs heading to the bottom of the sixth.

RHP Matt Peacock came in to retire the side in the seventh followed by a scoreless inning from RHP Jose Cuas in the eighth. In the ninth, Dungan was hit by a pitch to put another runner on for Omaha, but in all, the Storm Chasers stranded eight runners in the 8-0 loss to Iowa.

The Storm Chasers head back to home to begin a six-game series against the St. Paul Saints on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 from Werner Park with coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m. with the Sarpy County Tourism Pregame Show on 1180 The Zone.

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.