Chasers Lose But Stay in First Place
August 29, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
Des Moines, IA - Ty Wright drove in three runs in support of eight sharp innings from Kyle Hendricks as Iowa forged a 5-2 come-from-behind victory over Omaha Wednesday night in the third of a four-game set at Principal Park. The Storm Chasers have lost three in a row and eight of their last 10 to slip to 67-72 but remain one game ahead of Memphis in the American Conference North Division with five games remaining in the regular season. The Redbirds blew a chance to move into a first-place tie by squandering a three-run lead in the 10th inning and losing to New Orleans in the 11th on a walk-off home run by Chris Valaika.
Irving Falu, Christian Colon and Johnny Giavotella opened the game with singles to load the bases for Ben Broussard, who drove in Falu with a base hit to get the scoring started. Brian Fletcher then grounded into a double play to chase Colon home to make it a two-run frame against Hendricks, who was facing the Storm Chasers for the first time. The right-hander was a Southern League All-Star at the Double-A level and entered the game with the fifth best earned run average in all of Minor League Baseball at 1.95.
Kansas City Royals right-hander Felipe Paulino, making his fifth rehabilitation start with Omaha, breezed through the first three innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five of the first 11 batters he faced. However, he ran into a bunch of trouble in the fourth, permitting four runs on four hits and a walk. Wright singled in two runs to get the game tied before advancing to third on a ground ball out and then scoring the go-ahead run on an error charged to catcher Manny Pina, who used his mask to scoop up a pitch in the dirt. Mike Olt, who had walked and moved to second on the same error, then came in to score on a two-out hit by Tim Torres that extended the hosts lead to 4-2.
Paulino exited with two outs and nobody on in the fifth and gave way to Buddy Baumann, who served up a double to Edgar Gonzalez that was followed by a Wright base hit to increase the lead to three and finished the scoring. The burly right-hander suffered the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits and three walks while fanning five and has now surrendered 18 earned runs over 19 2/3 innings during his time with the Storm Chasers.
Hendricks yielded only two hits after the first inning and finished off his performance by setting down 18 of the last 20 batters he faced. He walked one and struck out four to grab his third Triple-A victory and was followed to the hill by Brian Schlitter, who retired the side in order in the ninth to register his 20th save in 21 opportunities and sew up the Cubs 11th win in 15 tries against Omaha this season. All of a sudden, the Cubs are within three games of the top spot.
The series and road portion of the regular season schedule conclude Thursday night with Omaha right-hander Yordano Ventura taking the mound against Iowa righty Casey Coleman. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:15 pm and can be heard locally on 1180 Zone 2 The Deuce and online at omahastormchasers.com.
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