51s lose to Omaha, fall out of first place
J.C. Boscan drew a full-count, two-out, bases-loaded walk off Vic Black to bring home the decisive run in the ninth innnig as the Omaha Storm Chasers rallied for a 5-4 win over the 51s in a Pacific Coast League game Thursday at Cashman Field.
With the loss, coupled with El Paso’s 7-5 victory over Memphis, Las Vegas (68-58) fell a half-game behind the Chihuahuas atop the Pacific South Division.
Boscan’s walk capped a three-run rally by Omaha (70-56) against Black (1-4), who was tasked with protecting a 4-2 lead in the ninth.
Reymond Fuentes led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Cheslor Cuthbert. Jose Martinez’s second double of the game sent Cuthbert to third.
After a strikeout and an intentional walk, Dusty Coleman laced a game-tying single. Black notched another strikeout before walking Boscan, a .205 hitter.
The 51s went up 4-2 with a three-run seventh. Travis Taijeron led off the inning with his 20th home run of the season, and, after two two-out walks, Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run double.
The Storm Chasers built a 2-0 lead on Whit Merrifield’s leadoff home run and Orlando Calixte’s two-out, second-inning RBI single.
Omaha starter Clayton Mortensen, who didn’t give up a hit until the fourth inning, held Las Vegas to one run on three hits and five walks and struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings.
Las Vegas starter Dillon Gee gave up two runs on seven hits and no walks and struck out two in seven innings.
Martinez, Fuentes and Boscan had two hits apiece for the Storm Chasers, who had a 12-5 edge in hits.
Scott Alexander (2-3) pitched a perfect eighth and ninth to get the victory.
