PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Cubs Ride the Long Ball to Victory

Published on June 16, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


Des Moines, IA - Steve Clevenger hit two home runs and Donnie Murphy blasted the game-winning grand slam to finish off a six-run sixth inning as Iowa stormed back and then hung on to beat Omaha, 8-7, Saturday night in the second of a four-game set at Principal Park. The Storm Chasers also dropped the completion of Friday night's suspended game, 9-5, to dip to 29-37 on the season and fall 4 1/2 games behind Memphis, pending the outcome of the Redbirds game in Albuquerque. Iowa has won four of the six meetings between the I-80 rivals so far this year.

Casey Coleman inherited an 8-4 lead to start the ninth inning but gave up singles to Irving Falu and Johnny Giavotella and walked Anthony Seratelli to load the bases with one out. Max Ramirez came through with a two-run double to cut the lead in half and chase Coleman from the hill. Brian Schlitter took over and surrendered a base hit to Willy Taveras that plated Seratelli to trim the margin to one and send pinch-runner Chase Lambin to third base. Taveras then swiped second base but the runners were stranded after Adam Moore struck out and Quintin Berry grounded out sharply to first base to end the game.

Clevenger put the Cubs in front 2-1 with a lead off long ball in the third and Omaha starter Danny Duffy was able to avoid any further damage by getting J.C. Boscan to pop up to end the inning with two runners aboard. The Kansas City southpaw finished his second Triple-A rehab start allowing two runs on four hits while walking three and fanning five.

Moore belted a two-run home run in the fourth to put the visitors back in front, 3-2, and added a run-scoring double in the sixth to increase the advantage to two. Berry followed with a bunt base hit to push Moore to third from where he was thrown out at the plate to end the inning by left fielder Brian Bogusevic while trying to score on a Jarrod Dyson fly ball.

Everett Teaford worked a scoreless fourth and wriggled out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth but could not escape the sixth unscathed and wound up taking the loss. Clevenger struck again, swatting a two-run home run to tie the game at four and making it seven consecutive at-bats in the series in which he had reached base. Dave Sappelt followed with a double before Bogusevic was passed intentionally, as Teaford was then removed in favor of right-hander Louis Coleman with the righty-swinging Junior Lake due up. Coleman walked Lake to load the bases in front of Murphy, who was originally drafted by Kansas City, in 2002. The Iowa infielder made his old organization pay by belting a 1-0 offering over the wall in left field for the decisive hit and the first home run allowed in 31 1/3 innings this season by Coleman.

Friday night's suspended game was resumed at 5:05 pm and the hosts immediately jumped on Michael Mariot for the deciding four runs in the sixth inning. Brett Jackson delivered the tie-breaking RBI single before a Sappelt sacrifice fly and a two-run single from Brad Nelson finished off the rally. Jeff Antigua blanked the visitors on two hits over three innings in relief to earn the win, his second in four Triple-A outings.

Brooks Raley, who warmed up in the Chicago Cubs bullpen on Thursday but did not pitch in the game, started last night's contest and issued a pair of walks around a Christian Colon double to load the bases with nobody out in the first inning. Ramirez got the scoring started for the Storm Chasers with an RBI single that was followed by a two-run double from Brett Hayes and a Taveras sacrifice fly to finish a four-run surge. The hosts responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run home run from Clevenger, who is with the Cubs on a major league rehabilitation assignment.

Iowa got the game tied in the second with an Edwin Maysonet scoring fly ball and a wild pitch from Ryan Verdugo that allowed Darnell McDonald to cross the plate. The Omaha southpaw gave up a pair of hits and walked Nelson to load the bases with nobody out in the third and was lifted in favor of Brian Sanches, who worked his way out of the jam with a pair of foul pop ups and a strikeout sandwiched in between.

Falu singled with one out in the fifth to end a stretch of 13 in a row retired by Raley and created the go-ahead run with a steal of second before he advanced to third on a Colon ground out and scored on a base hit by Xavier Nady. However, the lead didn't last long, as the Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Lake that scored Clevenger, who had remained on the bases in controversial fashion. He had singled to start the frame and broke toward second base on a missed hit and run before trying to return to first base. Clevenger dived back to the bag and appeared to have been tagged out before he reached it but it was ruled that he got back safely, ultimately leading to the ejection of Sanches and manager Mike Jirschele after the inning was over.

The series continues Sunday afternoon with Omaha right-hander Yordano Ventura taking the hill for his third Triple-A start against Iowa right-hander Guillermo Moscoso. Coverage of the game gets underway at 12:45 pm and can be heard locally on 1180 Zone 2 The Deuce and online at omahastormchasers.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 16, 2013


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