COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers (26-32) outhit the Columbus Clippers (33-25) for the second straight night, but couldn’t snap the losing streak, falling 5-4. Kevin Newman went 3-for-4 in the game while the bullpen allowed just 1 earned run over 5.1 innings, but it wasn’t enough for the victory.
After a perfect 1st inning from Omaha starter Ben Sears, the Clippers put up the first run of the game in the bottom of the 2nd inning on an RBI single to go ahead 1-0.
Sears recorded one out in the bottom of the 3rd inning, but after putting runners on the corners, Luke Jackson took over on the mound. Jackson allowed an RBI groundout to score an inherited runner and extend Columbus’ lead to 2-0 before finishing the frame.
Jackson returned in the 4th with a 1-2-3 frame, but in the bottom of the 5th inning, Génesis Cabrera made a throwing error with the bases loaded to score 2 runs for a 4-0 Clippers lead.
Cabrera and Jose Cuas (3-2) combined for a scoreless bottom of the 6th inning, and in the top of the 7th inning, a fielding error allowed the Storm Chasers to score their first run of the game. Luke Maile followed with a 2-run double and Newman capped off the inning with a game-tying RBI single that knotted the score 4-4.
Cuas fired a perfect bottom of the 7th inning and the Storm Chasers turned back to him for the bottom of the 8th, but a two-out passed ball brought home the go-ahead run for Columbus to make it 5-4. Anthony Gose then came in with 2 on and 2 out, and worked out of the jam to strand the inherited runners and keep the Chasers down by 1 run.
Omaha loaded the bases in the top of the 9th inning, but the Clippers worked out of the jam with a game-ending flyout.
The Storm Chasers will return to Huntington Park for the third game of the series Thursday afternoon. Ryan Ramsey is scheduled to start for Omaha and first pitch is set for 11:05 A.M. CT.