IL Omaha Storm Chasers

Chasers Drop 2nd Half Opener to I-Cubs 9-2

Published on June 28, 2023 under International League (IL)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


PAPILLION, NEB. - While the Omaha Storm Chasers used three Major League rehab pitchers on the mound, the pitching staff combined to walk a season-high 12 as the Iowa Cubs took the series opener 9-2 at Werner Park.

In his fourth rehab start this season and first with Omaha, left-hander Angel Zerpa threw a season-high 70 pitches as he worked into the fifth inning, holding Iowa to just two runs over 4.1 innings with five strikeouts. After allowing a two-run homer in the first, he put just five runners on base the rest of the way and stranded them all on, with a caught stealing and double play to erase two.

While the Cubs led 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, the Storm Chasers tied things up as John Rave opened the inning with a walk and Logan Porter singled him to third. Tucker Bradley laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Rave from third base and moved Porter to second, then Tyler Gentry doubled in Porter to tie the game at 2-2.

Zerpa was relieved in the fifth by Collin Snider, who faced one batter but got two outs, inducing an inning-ending double play.

The game swung in the I-Cubs' favor in the sixth inning, as Brad Keller came in for his first rehab appearance and after getting a first-pitch groundout, walked his next four batters to put Iowa ahead for the rest of the game.

Walter Pennington allowed one of the three inherited runners in the sixth to score for a 4-2 Cubs lead, but Iowa took complete control in the seventh, as Amir Garrett sundered a three-run homer with two outs in the inning to balloon Omaha's deficit to five runs, 7-2.

Evan Sisk allowed a pair to score in the eighth and Dylan Coleman worked a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts, but the Storm Chasers were held to just two hits over the final five innings in the loss.

While Gentry contributed two hits, Porter reached in three of his four plate appearances with a hit and two walks, to stretch his career-best on-base streak to 26 games. Clay Dungan extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a second inning single, while Brewer Hicklen pushed his to 14 straight games reaching base with a single in the eighth inning.

The Storm Chasers look to try and bounce back Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CT as left-hander Ryan Yarbrough is scheduled to make his second rehab start with Omaha.

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