Omaha Drops Series Opener to Iowa 8-2

Chasers homer twice and Castillo strikes out eight in loss to I-Cubs

John Rave made a leaping and juggling catch at the wall in Omaha's 8-2 loss to Iowa on Tuesday. (Minda Haas Kuhlmann)

By Nicholas Badders

August 9, 2023

PAPILLION, NEB. – While starter Max Castillo worked into the sixth inning and the Omaha Storm Chasers got a pair of early home runs, the Iowa Cubs surged ahead in the second half of the game to take the series opener over Omaha, 8-2. Castillo opened the game with four

PAPILLION, NEB. – While starter Max Castillo worked into the sixth inning and the Omaha Storm Chasers got a pair of early home runs, the Iowa Cubs surged ahead in the second half of the game to take the series opener over Omaha, 8-2.

Castillo opened the game with four hitless and scoreless innings and avoided trouble in the top of the third inning as center fielder John Rave made a juggling catch up against the fence to end the frame.

Immediately following Rave’s catch, Adeiny Hechavarría opened the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run to put the Storm Chasers ahead.

Iowa’s first hit of the game also tied the score at the time, as top Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong opened the fifth inning with a 440-foot home run to center field. Matt Mervis added another off Castillo to open the sixth inning and while Castillo tied his season-high with eight strikeouts, he was removed after 5.2 innings and a season-high four walks, though he kept the I-Cubs to just the two runs.

Omaha promptly tied the game back up in the bottom of the sixth as newcomer Devin Mann crushed a solo shot down the left field line, his second hit of the day and first home run with the Storm Chasers to bring the score to 2-2.

While Walter Pennington worked out of trouble behind Castillo in the sixth inning, Iowa took a lead against the lefty in the seventh with a two-run homer, the team’s third long ball of the game and the Cubs led the rest of the way.

Jonah Dipoto pitched a scoreless seventh but Christian Chamberlain surrendered scored four unearned runs in the ninth on a pair of hits, pair of errors and pair of free passes, all with two outs, to balloon the I-Cubs lead to six runs entering the bottom of the ninth.

Omaha brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh and eighth innings, then put a pair on in the ninth, but couldn’t come back and fell for the seventh straight game, losing 8-2 to Iowa.

The Storm Chasers will try and bounce back Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. CT with left-hander Drew Parrish headed to the mound at Werner Park.