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| George Brett, Bob Gibson and Jeff Suppan chat in the Storm Chasers' dugout before the game. |
Duffy was on a strict pitch count limit (he threw 76 pitches), so he had to be removed one out shy of qualifying for the win (he pitched 4.2 innings). His final line was impressive though: 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB and 7 Ks.
Everett Teaford, Luis Mendoza, Blaine Hardy, Jesse Chavez and Luis Coleman combined to only allow one earned run over the final 4.1 innings. Chavez got the win. Coleman picked up the save.
Mike Moustakas and Johnny Giovatella drove in one run apiece for the Storm Chasers. Eric Hosmer was 3-for-3 with a walk, to raise his average to .368.
Dave and Val Kemp were two of the fans who enjoyed the game. They had tickets to the home opener that was postponed last night. They came out to the park early today to exchange their tickets and to take advantage of the free open house where they were able to get a number of Storm Chasers’ autographs.
“The players were all so nice,” Val said.
“Yeah, Suppan was really nice,” Dave said. “And Kevin Pucetas was joking around with Val. They were both really nice.”
Dave runs a Royals blog called Goose Joak where he creates his own player cards.
After the open house ended, the tension began to build. The Storm Chasers took batting practice as Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore looked on and shook hands with the players. George Brett chatted with several people on the field, down the left field line, not all that far from third base – a position he played for Omaha in1973 and 1974.
The Storm Chasers held a ribbon cutting ceremony outside the front gate at 5:15. Omaha general manager Martie Cordaro read a proclamation from the governor. Fans began to buzz as they anticipated the opening of the gates at 5:30. Storm Chaser employees clapped and celebrated as fans entered the park welcoming everybody in.
The pre-game ceremony included several dignitaries such as Brett, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Bob Gibson. Branch B. Rickey, the president of the Pacific Coast League and grandson of the Branch Rickey, was in attendance as well.Yesterday, Major League Baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson Day and Rickey spoke to Omaha Baseball 360 about it.
“The ways that it is celebrated, the ways it is recognized has grown to be somewhat familiar and routine, almost,” Rickey said. “But the pride that I feel, that my family feels at my grandfather having stood for what he stood for, and the fact that he had the insight to find a person who could accomplish the kinds of things that Jackie Robinson was capable of accomplishing – that pride just continues to resonate as brightly as it ever did.”
Rickey also spoke about the new stadium.
“We wouldn’t be in Werner,” Rickey said. “We wouldn’t be in Sarpy. We wouldn’t be in Nebraska probably if it weren’t for the foothold we got by being able to play at Rosenblatt. But what a wonderful, wonderful new orbit we have been kicked in to in terms of the character of this facility.
“I was privileged to take a tour of it just privately with the general manager and one or two of our baseball dignitaries and this stadium has elements that are going to continue to bring a lot of pleasure to a lot of people for a lot of years. It’s wonderfully designed. It seems wonderfully built. It’s a new gemstone for the Pacific Coast League.”
Check back tomorrow on Omaha Baseball 360 for a complete list of all of the firsts at Werner Park and for photos from the events today.
