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| Clint Robinson hit a two-run home run in the forth inning. (File photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues) |
The win guarantees that Omaha will maintain their five game lead in the PCL American North, with an opportunity to stretch it to six games if Memphis loses in Reno.
The Chasers didn’t make it easy on themselves. They committed four errors – three of which were by shortstop Lance Zawadzki (two throwing and one fielding) in the third inning – and left runners in scoring position twice with less than two outs, but were unable to get them home. Throw in the fact that the River Cats are full of mashers and Omaha manager Mike Jirschele was just happy to escape with the win.
“You put four errors on the board and you’ve got to feel lucky to win – especially in a 3-2 game,” Jirschele said after the game. “I give the credit to the pitching tonight because they came out and did a good job and we scored enough runs to win the game. Really, we’ve just got to shore up our defense.”
Jirschele pointed out that the errors probably cost O’Sullivan, who improved to 4-2, an inning of work, but he was happy with the way O’Sullivan pitched. O’Sullivan tossed six innings (106 pitches), giving up seven hits and no earned runs, without walking anybody, and he struck out five. He kept hitters off balance most of the night.
“I thought Sully did a fantastic job tonight, minimizing the damage because with the three errors in the one inning, that killed us,” Jirschele said “but he did a great job of keeping his head out there and just going at them and getting the outs.”
The Chasers scored their first run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Kurt Mertins, driving in Lance Zawadzki. They scored two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Clint Robinson to right field – on a ball that barely made it over the wall.
“He got enough of it,” Jirschele said. “He had a little top spin on it. And it hit just the top of the wall and it got a good spin and it went over the wall.”
Three runs were all the Chasers bullpen needed. Herrera was dominant in his two innings of work – hitting 100 mph on the gun once and striking out three River Cats, making good use of his off-speed stuff, picking up his first hold of the season.
“A club like this – they can hit a fastball,” Jirschele said. “So, you’ve got to be able to get your breaking stuff over. And Sully was a prime example of that tonight. He kept them off balance with his off-speed stuff. Then you use your fastball and it’s that much more effective.
“Herrera couldn’t just go out there and use his fastball tonight because these guys will turn that around. They’ve got some guys who can juice a fastball. By him being able to get his off-speed stuff over, it made him that much more effective.”
Relief pitcher Jesse Chavez entered the game in the ninth with “Hells Bells” blaring throughout the stadium. He gave up one walk, but put the clamps on the River Cats from there, securing his 14th save of the season.
The Chasers and River Cats will continue the four game series tomorrow night at Werner Park. Omaha will send RHP Vin Mazzaro (5-1, 4.97) to the mound. He’ll go up against Tyson Ross (0-1, 14.04) for Sacramento.
In an unrelated note, Jarrod Dyson is still out of the line up after landing awkwardly on first base a couple of games ago.
