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| The Storm Chasers pose for a celebratory picture (Photo: Lee Warren) |
Ka’iahue’s blast off Round Rock reliever Tanner Scheppers hit the right field foul pole, giving the Chasers a 4-2 win and a place in the PCL Championship Series, set to begin at Werner Park on Tuesday night.
“He’s got a good fastball,” Ka’aihue said after the game. “That’s all I was looking for. I was fortunate enough – I saw it the at bat before and I had a better swing this time ... If he’s going to get beat, I’m sure he can live with getting beat with his best pitch. And if he beats me with another pitch, he beats me with another pitch. He’s bringing his best pitch – this time I got him, the last time he got me.”
The walk-off home run by Ka’aihue’s was his second of the season at Werner Park, also delivering on June 28 against Memphis. Over his last two games, the left-handed swinging first baseman has gone 3-for-6 with two homers and six runs batted in, picking up a two-run homer and two-run double in Friday night’s extra-inning loss.
Earlier in the game, it looked like the headlines might include Sean O’Sullivan’s name. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning and a no-hitter into the eighth, with the Chasers clinging to a 2-0 lead.
However, with just six outs to go, disaster struck. Joey Butler hit a grounder directly at second baseman Kurt Mertins, who was unable to field it and was charged with an error. With his no-hitter still intact, O’Sullivan served up a mammoth two-run home run to Luis Cruz, knotting the game at 2-2 and giving Round Rock its first hit of the day.
O’Sullivan bounced back to close out the inning, but the damage had been done. Not only had the dream of a no-hitter been dashed, but the Chasers were in jeopardy of losing the game altogether. O’Sullivan finished his day with eight innings pitched, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
After the game O’Sullivan said he was only concerned about the win.
“It was all about the W,” O’Sullivan said. “If it [a no-hitter] would have happened, it obviously would have been awesome. But the playoffs have nothing to do with me. It’s all about the Storm Chasers and I just wanted to keep battling for as long as I could to come out with the lead, and if not, to give us a shot at the win.”
O’Sullivan said he was trying something new for the game.
“I was actually a little bit nervous going into it because the windup you saw today was the first time I’ve thrown like that off the mound,” O’Sullivan said. “I made a last minute decision in between my last two starts to change something to alleviate pressure from my shoulder. And that worked out pretty good.
“I took my hands over my head instead of keeping them low in front of me and just tried to create momentum with my throwing arm.”
So, how did he come up with this new delivery – a delivery that he said he hasn’t even used on the side.
“I played catch out in the outfield – just throwing balls into the bucket and figured it out and said, ‘Let’s take it out there. Let’s do it.’”
After each team got two runners on in the ninth but couldn’t score, Kevin Pucetas (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 10th to set up the game-winning sequence.
With one out, Clint Robinson drew a five-pitch walk, bringing Ka’aihue to the plate. He worked the count to 1-1 before connecting off Scheppers (0-1) to end the game, setting off a celebration at home plate and an even more wild party in the clubhouse moments later.
O’Sullivan broke out his Michael Jackson dance impersonation again while players cheered him on. A few minutes later, Chasers’ radio broadcaster Mark Nasser did a little dance himself (see the video below). And Jarrod Dyson led the team in song as the champagne and beer flowed.
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| Sean O'Sullivan getting his groove on (Photo: Lee Warren) |
With the team still celebrating, Omaha manager Mike Jirschele spoke to the media about his team’s win and their accomplishments this season.
“It was still a tie ballgame [after O’Sullivan gave up the two-run home run],” Jirschele said. “So it’s anybody’s ball game at that point and that’s what these guys have been like all year long – it doesn’t matter if you’re down by three, four runs or you’re up by three, four, or it’s tied. They just feel like, ‘We’re going to win this game.’”
With the 3-1 series victory, the Chasers advance to their first-ever PCL Championship Series in their 14th season in the league. They also earned their first postseason series victory since 1990, when they won the Triple-A Championship as a member of the American Association.
The Chasers will begin the PCL Championship Series at home, as they host either the Reno Aces or Sacramento River Cats. Games 1 and 2 will be played Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14 at Werner Park, with both games scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Jirschele said Luis Mendoza will start Game 1.
For more photos of the celebration, check out the Omaha Baseball 360 Facebook page.
