By: Brayden Peters
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons couldn't find a way to tie the series against the Omaha Storm Chasers. A huge seventh inning on offense for Omaha helped them win 5-2, as Buffalo gave up seven hits and all five runs in the inning.
After being down 1-0, Omaha responded to tie the game up in the sixth inning, as Drew Waters singled to drive in John Rave from second base. Rave doubled to get on base. Devin Mann came into the game to pinch run for Waters, who got ejected after arguing with the first base umpire that his hit was a home run. However, the ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back into the field of play. There has been an ejection in three of the four games in this series.
The Storm Chasers proceeded to snap the tie after Brian O'Keefe singled to drive in Mann, giving Omaha a 2-1 lead. Ryan Fitzgerald then singled to allow Nick Loftin to score, who singled to get on base. Omaha refused to stop scoring in the sixth as Cam Devanney doubled to drive in O'Keefe and Tyler Gentry, who hit a single to get on base.
The offense for the Bisons recorded a total of 11 hits. Alan Roden was the only one to have a multi-hit game, as he went 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and added two RBI to his name. Roden's four hits ties for the most amount of hits any Bison has recorded this season. Luis De Los Santos also recorded a single to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
"I mean, it just shows that it doesn't matter what staff is out there pitching against us," center fielder Nathan Lukes said. "We're going to swing it."
It was a special day today at Sahlen Field, as it was Women in Sports Night. Bisons manager Casey Candaele's mother Helen Callaghan was honored tonight. She was a left-fielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for five years from 1944 to 1949. For her career, she had a batting average of .256 while recording seven homers and 117 RBI along with 419 stolen bases.
"I mean it's, you know, she was a much better player than I was," Candaele said. "...I'm always very proud whenever, you know, somebody does a tribute like that, and I'm very honored, and I'm very grateful, and I know she would be too. You know, she was very instrumental in the way I went about mentally, how I handled the game and I how I played the game, and she was instrumental in that. You know, I miss her, and every time I see that, you know, I'm very proud."
Paolo Espino was given the start on the mound for the Bisons. He threw two strikeouts while giving up only one walk in two innings pitched. The bullpen gave up a combined 11 hits, five earned runs and two walks while striking out only five batters. Two of the strikeouts came from Easton Lucas.
Although the first half of the game was mostly quiet, Buffalo's run that broke the scoreless tie came in the fifth inning. Roden singled to drive in Riley Tirotta from second base, after Tirotta singled to get on first base and was able to successfully steal second.
Roden helped the Bisons cut into the Storm Chaser's lead. In the seventh, he doubled to help Lukes score all the way from first base. Lukes got on base after getting walked by Dan Altavilla.
The Bisons tried to mount a comeback, but were quiet in the eighth and ninth innings, as they were unable to record a hit. With that, the Storm Chasers secured their 5-2 win.
"...we didn't hit the ball right," Candaele said. "I mean, we got nine hits, nine or ten hits, which is pretty good, but you know, they have to be hits that lead to runs and, you know, they weren't."
With the loss, the Bisons fall to 57-66 overall and 20-29 in the second half. They stay at tenth in the IL East. Omaha improves to 77-45 overall and are 28-21 in the second half. They remain in first place in the IL West.
Buffalo will host Omaha Saturday at 6:35 p.m. as they hope to keep their chances to win the series alive. It is to be determined who will start on the mound for the Bisons. Noah Cameron (1-0, 1.07) will be the starting pitcher for the Storm Chasers.
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