Chasers Swept in Columbus Doubleheader

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped both games of a doubleheader, losing 5-4 and 5-0 to the Columbus Clippers Friday at Huntington Park.

GAME 1: COLUMBUS 5, OMAHA 4 (FINAL/8)

Columbus jumped out ahead of Omaha in the first game of the doubleheader, as Juan Brito swatted a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning off Chasers starter Jonathan Bowlan for an early 1-0 Clippers lead.

The Storm Chasers had a quick counter in the top of the second inning, as a pair of walks set up catcher Austin Nola to connect on his second home run of the season, a three-run shot with two outs in the frame that put Omaha up 3-1.

The Clippers struck for another run in the fourth inning off Bowlan, this time a solo homer from Raynel Delgado that brought Columbus within one for a 3-2 score in favor of Omaha.

Bowlan allowed just the two runs over 4.0 innings of work with three strikeouts, before handing the ball off to the bullpen. Walter Pennington worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth for a scoreless inning, then Kris Bubic fired a scoreless sixth inning to send the game to the seventh inning with Omaha still up by a run.

John Rave opened the top of the seventh inning with a double, his second double of the day, his third hit of the game and fourth time on base in as many plate appearances. Nate Eaton bunted Rave to third, then Nick Pratto plated Rave on a sacrifice fly to extend Omaha’s lead to 4-2.

Will Klein took the mound in the bottom of the seventh looking to secure the save but after the leadoff batter reached on an error, Klein surrendered a game-tying two-run homer that sent the game to the eighth inning tied at 4-4.

Omaha went down quietly at the plate in the top of the eighth and Klein returned to the mound in the bottom of the frame. After walking the first batter, Klein retired the first two batters before a single from Brito walked off the game for the Clippers, a 5-4 win for Columbus in extras.

GAME 2: COLUMBUS 5, OMAHA 0 (FINAL/7)

Once again, the Clippers jumped out ahead of Omaha early as Juan Brito and Kyle Manzardo hit back-to-back home runs with one out in the bottom of the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead.

Omaha starter Chandler Champlain retired his next five batters after allowing the home runs but surrendered a single to open the bottom of the third. With two outs in the third, Manzardo connected for his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that doubled the Clipper lead to 4-0.

Champlain worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and was followed by Tyler Duffey, who threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning. Steven Cruz allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth and the Storm Chasers trailed 5-0 entering the seventh inning.

The Storm Chasers were held to just two hits in the second game of the day – a double from John Rave that opened the fourth inning and a leadoff single from Nick Pratto in the seventh.

Pratto was thrown out at second base trying to stretch his single into a double and while Nelson Velázquez followed with a walk, Omaha’s third walk of the game, Clippers starter Doug Nikhazy retired his next two batters to finish a seven-inning complete game shutout of the Storm Chasers.

Nikhazy is the first pitcher to throw a complete game shutout against Omaha since Bubba Derby for Colorado Springs on August 29, 2018. These two games also marked the first time Omaha was swept in a doubleheader since the Iowa Cubs won two at Werner Park on May 22, 2019.

The Storm Chasers will try and snap a three-game losing streak Saturday at 6:05 p.m. CT as Daniel Lynch IV starts for Omaha in the fifth game of the series at Huntington Park.