Omaha wins the PCL American Conference Championship

The Storm Chasers pose for a celebratory picture
(Photo: Lee Warren)

Omaha, Neb. – Kila Ka’aihue’s two-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the tenth inning Saturday gave the Omaha Storm Chasers the Pacific Coast League American Conference Championship and while it wasn’t the shot heard around the world, if you were anywhere near Werner Park, you certainly heard the celebration.

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.”

Chasers drop a heartbreaker in extra innings

Omaha, Neb. – Omaha had everything going its way Friday night – an engaged crowd creating an incredible playoff atmosphere, a 2-0 lead in the PCL American Conference Championship Series against Round Rock and a return home to Werner Park, but in the end they lost a 9-8 heartbreaker in eleven innings after the Storm Chasers committed two errors in the top of the 11th inning, allowing the Express to score three times.

With two outs in the Express half of the 11th inning, Brad Nelson hit a slow roller that somehow squirted through the legs of Joaquin Arias at first base, putting runners at the corners against Zach Miner. Chad Tracy took full advantage of the miscue and ripped a single to center field, giving the Express a 7-6 lead. Joey Butler, who is 8-for-11 (.727) in the series, followed with another single that Jarrod Dyson booted, allowing Nelson and Tracy to score to extend Round Rock’s lead to 9-6.

The Chasers scored two runs in the bottom of the eleventh, but it wasn’t quite enough. It was their second comeback attempt of the evening.

Omaha win puts them one win away from championship series

Manny Pina was 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs
(File photo: Lee Warren)

Round Rock, Tex. – Vin Mazzaro, Manny Pina and the Omaha Storm Chasers pulled out a hard-fought 7-2 victory over the Round Rock Express Thursday night, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

The Chasers will return home to Werner Park Friday, needing just one victory to advance to the Pacific Coast League Championship Series.

Just as they did in their Game 1 shutout, Omaha grabbed an early 3-0 lead.

In the top of the second, Kila Ka’aihue’s leadoff single was followed by a bunt base hit by Irving Falu and an infield single by Joaquin Arias, loading the bases with nobody out. Pina coaxed an eight-pitch walk to put the Chasers on the board, and Kurt Mertins and Jarrod Dyson followed with a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring sacrifice bunt, respectively, making it 3-0.

Chasers shut down by Cubs' pitching

Jarrod Dyson drove in the only run for Omaha
(File photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

Des Moines, IA – Mario Mercedes tripled in the game-winning run in the sixth inning to lift Iowa to a 2-1 victory over Omaha Sunday night in the middle of a three-game series at Principal Park.

The Storm Chasers fell to 79-62 and will have one last chance to win 80-or-more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history.

D.J. LeMahieu’s run-scoring single in the first inning put the Cubs in front before Jarrod Dyson’s RBI double in third evened the count. From there, the Chasers were shut down by Chris Rusin, Andrew Cashner, Chris Carpenter and Scott Maine, who held them scoreless on six hits over the final six innings.

Navarro’s 9th inning home run gives Chasers another win

Yamaico Navarro blasted a three-run home run
to give Omaha a 4-2 win at Tacoma
(File photo: Lee Warren)

Tacoma, Wash. – Yamaico Navarro’s three-run home run in the ninth inning lifted Omaha to a 4-2 come-from-behind win over Tacoma Wednesday night in the second of a four-game series at Cheney Stadium.

The Storm Chasers improved to 69-55 and lengthened their lead to five games over Memphis in the PCL American North with just 19 regular season games left to play.

Trailing 2-1 after Tacoma had scored in the home eighth, the Chasers got back-to-back singles from Irving Falu and Lorenzo Cain to begin the decisive inning. Rainiers reliever Scott Patterson battled back to strike out Clint Robinson and Kila Ka’aihue and was one strike away from doing the same to Navarro before the shortstop drilled a line drive that cleared the left field wall to dramatically alter the contest with his first three runs driven in wearing an Omaha uniform.

Chavez, Chasers close out Rainiers

Jesse Chavez picked up his 15th
save of the season Tuesday night
(Photo: Brad Williams Photography)

Tacoma, Wash. – Storm Chasers reliever Jesse Chavez hadn’t been called upon to record a save since August 3, but he came out of the bullpen firing, picking up his team-leading 15th save Tuesday night at Cheney Stadium.

Chavez entered with two men on and one out in the eighth and recorded all five of the remaining outs via the strike out, preserving Omaha’s 3-2 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers.

Second place Memphis picked up their fourth win in a row, keeping the pressure on the Chasers to win if they want to keep their 4.0 game lead in the PCL American North. The Chasers are 6-4 in their last 10 games (compared to Memphis, who is 7-3), which isn’t bad for a team that has been decimated by big league call ups and nagging injuries. By the way, the Chasers announced that playoff ticket packages are now on sale.

Starting pitcher Luis Mendoza (9-5), who missed a start with a “tired” arm, earned the victory on Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings of work. He walked two and struck out five, using 88 pitches. Mendoza improved to 7-0 in nine road starts this season and 9-1 on the road overall, despite seeing his ERA rise to a still-league best 2.30. He has 10 quality starts in his last 13 outings.

Storm Chasers overcome four errors to win sixth straight

Clint Robinson hit a two-run home run in the forth inning.
(File photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

Omaha, Neb. – The Omaha Storm Chasers extended their winning streak to six games Wednesday night, defeating the Sacramento River Cats 3-2, thanks to a two-run home run in the fourth inning by Clint Robinson and strong efforts from starting pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, and relievers Kelvin Herrera and Jesse Chavez, who were able to keep the River Cats from scoring over the final three innings.

The win guarantees that Omaha will maintain their five game lead in the PCL American North, with an opportunity to stretch it to six games if Memphis loses in Reno.

The Chasers didn’t make it easy on themselves. They committed four errors – three of which were by shortstop Lance Zawadzki (two throwing and one fielding) in the third inning – and left runners in scoring position twice with less than two outs, but were unable to get them home. Throw in the fact that the River Cats are full of mashers and Omaha manager Mike Jirschele was just happy to escape with the win.