Storm Chasers win Series Opener Over Clippers 9-3

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers won the series opener over the Columbus Clippers, a 9-3 win Tuesday night at Werner Park.

Chandler Champlain earned his first win of the season, holding the Clippers to 1 run over 5.0 innings, while allowing just one walk and striking out six.

Omaha was first onto the scoreboard, as Peyton Wilson reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Tyler Gentry. Columbus tied things up in the fourth, but the Storm Chasers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to lead the rest of the night. Brian O’Keefe walked, and scored on a Dairon Blanco single, then Nick Loftin reached on a throwing error that plated Blanco and Nick Pratto for a 4-1 Omaha lead.

The Storm Chasers blew the game open in the sixth, plating five runs to surge ahead 9-1. Pratto walked, then John Rave singled and Blanco walked, to load the bases for Loftin to draw a run-scoring walk. With one out, Cam Devanney crushed a grand slam to left field, his sixth home run of the second and second grand slam in three games, for the 8-run advantage.

Behind Champlain, Junior Fernandez pitched a scoreless sixth inning, but surrendered a pair of runs in the seventh. Trevor Richards got the final out of the seventh, allowing a run inherited from Fernandez to score. Jacob Wallace struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning, while Evan Sisk punched out a pair in a scoreless ninth inning to shut down the Clippers and finish the game.

Omaha and Columbus play the second game of this week’s series Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. CT with right-hander Thomas Hatch starting for the Storm Chasers.