PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Storm Chasers and OKC Split Twin Bill

Published on June 23, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


Oklahoma City, OK - Max Ramirez singled in the game-winning run in the seventh inning to lift Omaha to a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Oklahoma City in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday night at Bricktown Ballpark. The Storm Chasers dropped the opener, 6-5, in 10 innings and emerge from the twin bill at 33-43 and now trail first place Iowa and Memphis by four games. Omaha won for a first time in five tries in OKC and trails the season series, 5-3.

OKC struck first in the nightcap in the second inning on a Brian Sanches wild pitch that allowed Jon Singleton, who had reached on an error, to score and a two-out RBI hit by Robbie Grossman. The Storm Chasers missed out on a chance to score when Chrisitian Colon led off the fourth with a single and advanced to third when Johnny Giavotella followed with a base hit but remained anchored there when Ramirez struck out, Giavotella was thrown out trying to steal and Anthony Seratelli fanned to end the inning.

Omaha finally dented Brady Rodgers, making his first Triple-A start, in the fifth when Chase Lambin doubled and scored on a two-out, two-base hit by Willy Taveras, who had been mired in a 1-for-18 slump. The OKC right-hander lasted five frames, allowing just that one run on five hits while striking out four and not issuing a walk. Eric Berger took over in the sixth but couldn't make it out of the inning. He issued two walks around an infield hit by Ramirez to load the bases with two outs for Lambin, who doubled in two runs to put the visitors in front for the first time at 3-2.

Sanches lasted five innings but was not involved in the decision after yielding two unearned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out five. Donnie Joseph assumed the hill in the sixth and gave up a two-out single to Grossman that chased home Jose Martinez with the tying run. Taveras started the winning rally with a leadoff single in the seventh, advanced to second base on an Irving Falu sacrifice bunt and stayed put when Colon lined out. Giavotella was then intentionally walked to get to Ramirez, who spoiled the strategy with his decisive base hit to centerfield. Joseph exited in the bottom of the inning with two runners on and two out and gave way to Buddy Baumann, who got Martinez to ground out with the bases loaded to end the game and earn his first save.

Falu opened game one with a walk, stole second and scored on a Giavotella base hit. Xavier Nady followed with a double to push Giavotella to third base before Seratelli was passed intentionally to load the bases. Ramirez flied out deep enough to score Giavotella, however, OKC successfully appealed that he had left third base too early to tag up, so the run was wiped off the board. Paulo Orlando belted his first home run of the year, a solo shot, with two outs in the second to make it a 2-0 game before the hosts got the run back in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI hit by Martinez.

The Storm Chasers took advantage of a couple of defensive miscues to add three runs in the fourth, all with two outs, on a run-scoring double by Colon and a two-run single by Nady to push their advantage to 5-1. OKC shaved a run off the deficit in the home half on Carlos Perez's fielder's choice grounder that scored Jake Elmore, who had doubled and moved to third base on an errant Chris Dwyer pickoff attempt.

Brandon Laird's two-run home run brought the RedHawks within one in the sixth before Dwyer got out of the frame without any further damage. Omaha's starter allowed three earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks while fanning four and was followed by Will Smith, who gave up back-to-back doubles to Grossman and Jonathan Villar that got the game knotted at five to send it into extra innings. It was the first run allowed in seven relief outings for the southpaw covering 10 innings. The Storm Chasers stranded a runner in scoring position in the eighth through 10th innings before the hosts finally ended the game on a two-out double by Laird that chased home Jimmy Paredes, who had singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Francisley Bueno, who took the loss after yielding the deciding run in 2 2/3 innings of relief work.

The series continues Monday night with Omaha left-hander Everett Teaford making the start against OKC, and former Omaha, right-hander Phillip Humber. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:45 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 23, 2013


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