Four-Run Eighth Leads to 4-0 Omaha win Over Toledo
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers won a third straight games over the Toledo Mud Hens with a 4-0 shutout victory as a four-run eighth inning Thursday at Werner Park propelled the team to victory. A pitcher’s duel nearly all night long, the Mud Hens threatened in the top
PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers won a third straight games over the Toledo Mud Hens with a 4-0 shutout victory as a four-run eighth inning Thursday at Werner Park propelled the team to victory.
A pitcher’s duel nearly all night long, the Mud Hens threatened in the top of the second inning and loaded the bases with three straight singles. Omaha starting pitcher Jonathan Bowlan kept Toledo from scoring though, as he used a strikeout and double play to work out of the inning without damage. able to get out of the frame with a double play.
The two teams combined for just eight hits over the first seven innings of the game, six from Toledo and just two from Omaha – both off the bat of Tyler Gentry.
While Bowlan didn’t earn a win, he worked his fifth quality start of the year, his second straight, and threw a trio of 1-2-3 innings across six scoreless innings, while striking out five.
John McMillon replaced Bowlan in the top of the seventh inning and threw a 1-2-3 inning to retire the side, for a stretch of seven straight retired to open the third trip through the Mud Hens lineup. McMillon got the first two outs of the eighth inning for 1.2 innings of work, but allowed a pair of singles to put two runners on and the righty was relieved in the eighth for left-hander Walter Pennington with two on and two out in the inning. The first batter Pennington faced reached to load the bases, but the southpaw left the bases loaded, getting a flyout to end the inning.
Omaha finally got the board in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Kevin Padlo walked and Cam Devanney reached on an error to put two runners on base. After a pair of strikeouts and Devanney swiping second base, both runners were in scoring position and set up Drew Waters to single them in for a 2-0 Chasers lead. Nelson Velázquez followed with his second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field that brought home Waters for a 4-0 Chaser lead at the end of eight.
Steven Cruz worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth to end the game for a 4-0 win, the third straight victory against Toledo and the team’s fourth shutout win of the year.
The Storm Chasers continue this week’s series against the Toledo Mud Hens as first pitch starts at 7:05 p.m. CT on Friday and right-handed pitcher Chandler Champlain is slated to start for Omaha.