Bats Walk off Storm Chasers 12-8
Published on July 8, 2026 under International League (IL)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
LOUISVILLE, KEN. - The Louisville Bats (6-7/45-41) hit 6 home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, to beat the Omaha Storm Chasers (5-9/38-50) on Thursday night, 12-8. Gavin Cross went 2-for-4 with a triple and double while Omaha plated 5 runs in the 2nd inning, but it wasn't enough for a Storm Chasers win.
Louisville opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning with back-to-back solo home runs off Omaha starter Mason Black, taking an early 2-0 lead.
The Storm Chasers responded with 5 runs in the top of the 2nd inning starting with an RBI double from Luca Tresh followed by a 2-run double from Gavin Cross. Andrew Velazquez subsequently crossed home on a wild pitch and Cross came around to score on John Rave's RBI to extend Omaha's lead to 5-2.
Omaha turned back to Black in the bottom of the 2nd inning, but he allowed back-to-back solo home runs again to cut the Chasers' lead to 5-4.
Black then allowed a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd inning, giving the Bats a 6-5 lead, but worked a scoreless 4th inning.
Ethan Bosacker came into the game for Black after a leadoff single in the bottom of the 5th inning, but allowed the inherited runner to score before balking home another run to bring Louisville's lead to 8-5.
Bosacker kept the Bats off the board in the 6th inning, then Omaha put up a pair of runs in the top of the 7th to cut the lead to 8-7 thanks to a fielding error and RBI single from Brandon Drury.
The Storm Chasers called on Justin Topa for his Omaha debut in the bottom of the 7th inning, and he worked a scoreless frame before the Storm Chasers tied the game 8-8 in the top of the 8th inning on a fielding error, before Topa fired a 1-2-3 bottom of the 8th inning for 2.0 scoreless innings.
Omaha put a runner on in the top of the 9th but failed to score, before turning to Ben Sears for the bottom of the 9th. Sears loaded the bases with a double, intentional walk and single before surrendering a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam to Michael Chavis for a 12-8 final score.
The Storm Chasers will return to Louisville Slugger Field for Game 3 of the series on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 P.M. CT and LHP Ryan Ramsey is in line to start for Omaha.
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