Stripers Clip Omaha 4-1 to Snap Losing Streak

Michael Soroka lowered his ERA to 1.23 through three starts with 6.0 scoreless innings on Tuesday night in Omaha. (Bernie Connelly)

Michael Soroka spun 6.0 scoreless innings, and sacrifice flies by Luke Waddell, Yolmer Sanchez, and Forrest Wall propelled the Gwinnett Stripers (3-12) to a 4-1 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers (7-7) on a windy Tuesday night at Werner Park. The win, coming in Gwinnett’s first-ever meeting with Omaha, snapped a 10-game losing streak.

Decisive Plays: Wall led off the game with a triple to right-center and scored on Waddell’s sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Soroka made that advantage hold up through six, but Omaha tied the game against Ty Tice (W, 2-0) in the seventh as Logan Porter doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Angelo Castellano. Gwinnett quickly took the lead back in the eighth as Waddell singled and scored on Sanchez’s sacrifice fly. In the ninth, a sacrifice fly by Wall and RBI single by Waddell stretched the lead to 4-1.

Key Contributors: Soroka fanned five over 6.0 innings, yielding just four hits and two walks in a 91-pitch, 54-strike effort. Yacksel Rios (S, 1) struck out three over the final 2.0 innings. Waddell led all hitters, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs. Porter went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles for Omaha.

Noteworthy: The win stops Gwinnett’s losing streak well short of the club record of 15, set by the 2012 G-Braves (June 16-30, 2012). Soroka has allowed one run or less in all three of his starts, posting a 1.32 ERA (2 ER in 13.2 IP). Waddell is 5-for-8 with two runs and two RBIs over his last two games following an 0-for-8 start to his Triple-A career.

Next Game (Wednesday, April 19): Gwinnett at Omaha, 1:05 p.m. EST at Werner Park. RHP Beau Burrows (NR) for the Stripers vs. RHP Jonathan Heasley (1-1, 11.68 ERA) for the Storm Chasers. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m., EST on MyCountry993.com.

Next Home Game (Tuesday, April 25): Gwinnett vs. Buffalo, 11:05 a.m. at Coolray Field. Radio Broadcast: 10:50 a.m. on MyCountry993.com and the Bally Live app. The Stripers will welcome area students for the season’s second Education Day matinee.