Storm Chasers Fall 19-5 to Redbirds

PAPILLION, NEB. – Brett Squires produced a 2-homer game, but the Omaha Storm Chasers (25-26) fell 19-5 to the Memphis Redbirds (31-21) on Tuesday night. Squires’ 2 home runs were partnered with 4-hit games from both Josh Rojas and Abraham Toro, but a 9-run 4th inning from Memphis put the game away early.

The Redbirds opened the scoring with a leadoff home run in the top of the 1st inning off Storm Chasers starter Mitch Spence (1-4) to take a 1-0 lead.

Omaha responded with a home run of its own to open the bottom of the 2nd inning courtesy of Squires, tying the game 1-1.

Spence then allowed a 2-run home run and RBI single in the 3rd inning to put Memphis ahead 4-1, and the Redbirds put up another 7 runs off him in the top of the 4th inning before the Storm Chasers turned to the bullpen. Andrew Pérez took the mound with nobody out and runners on 2nd and 3rd, and despite retiring all 3 batters he faced, both inherited runners scored to extend the Redbirds’ lead to 13-1.

From there, Pérez worked a perfect 5th inning and scoreless 6th inning for 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, and Helcris Olivárez didn’t allow a run in the 7th inning.

In the top of the 8th inning, Memphis plated a trio of runs off Olivárez behind an RBI single and 2-run double, extending the lead to 16-1 before Jose Cuas finished the frame.

Squires hit his second home run in the bottom of the 8th inning, a solo home run to cut the deficit to 16-2.

Toro then took the mound in the top of the 9th inning as a position player pitcher and Memphis hit a 3-run home run off him to make it 19-2 before he recorded 3 outs.

John Rave had a sacrifice fly and Kameron Misner hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning, but it was too little, too late for Omaha, who lost 19-5.

The Storm Chasers will host the Redbirds once again for Game 2 of the series Wednesday evening. First pitch is set for 6:35 P.M. CT and Ethan Bosacker is scheduled to start for Omaha.