Omaha takes opener in Nashville, comeback falls short in game 2

Clint Robinson singled home Irving Falu with two outs
in the seventh inning of game two to bring Omaha to within
a run, but they ended up falling short. (Photo: Lee Warren)

Frankie De La Cruz was solid through 6 1/3 innings and helped to make early offense stand up as Nashville fended off Omaha, 5-4, in game two to earn a doubleheader split Wednesday night at Greer Stadium. The Storm Chasers claimed the opener, 4-1, and head into the final two games of the five-game series at 40-34.

Sean O'Sullivan took the hill for Omaha on a rehab start in the nightcap and was touched for run-scoring hits by Erick Almonte and Mat Gamel in the first inning that put the visitors in an early 2-0 hole. Taylor Green led off the second with a home run, his third against the Storm Chasers this season, and another run came across on a wild pitch later in the frame. O'Sullivan was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings.

Almonte was involved in the Chasers two runs in the fifth as he committed an error on an Irving Falu grounder that allowed Paulo Orlando to score before Johnny Giavotella singled home Falu with two outs to halve the deficit.
Omaha closed to within 4-3 in the sixth on a Joaquin Arias sacrifice fly but the run was countered in the bottom of the frame by Gamel's solo home run off Jeremy Jeffress.

Clint Robinson singled home Falu with two outs in the seventh to cut the lead to 5-4 but Sean Green induced Kila Ka'aihue to ground out with two runners on to end the game as the last-ditch rally fell short.

In the opener, Ka'aihue's sacrifice fly in the third gave the Chasers the lead but the Sounds answered in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by Wil Nieves to knot the score.

Omaha grabbed the lead for good in the fifth on a run-scoring double by Lorenzo Cain, who played for Nashville last season. Lance Zawadzki followed with a run-producing hit and Cody Clark capped the three-run rally with an RBI ground out.

Nashville loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and chased starter Luis Mendoza from the hill but could not cash in, as Jesse Chavez took over and got Brandon Boggs to pop out and Edwin Maysonet to fly out to end the threat.

Mendoza earned the win after yielding only one run despite surrendering 10 hits and issuing a pair of walks over 5 1/3 innings while Chavez finished 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn his eighth save.