Omaha Storm Chasers Win 1st Half, Clinch Home Field Advantage in International League Championship Series

PAPILLION, NEB. – With a 9-4 win over the Louisville Bats Tuesday at Werner Park, the Omaha Storm Chasers have clinched a postseason berth and home field advantage in the International League Championship Series, the team’s first trip to the playoffs in 10 years. As the International League’s first half winners, the Storm Chasers will host a best-of-three LCS, slated to begin on Tuesday, September 24 at Werner Park. This will be the 18^th postseason trip in franchise history, dating back to the club’s inception in 1969 as the Omaha Royals.

Tickets for Games 1 and 2 of the International League Championship Series, September 24 and 25, will go on sale THIS FRIDAY at 10am.

In 2024, Minor League baseball is playing a “split schedule” where both Triple-A leagues are split into two halves, with the first half concluding on June 23, the second half commencing on June 25 and the regular season ending on September 22. Omaha’s 9-4 victory over the Louisville Bats on Tuesday, June 18, was the team’s sixth straight win, to move to a 6.0-game lead over the second-place Syracuse Mets with five games remaining in the first half.

All of the possible three League Championship Series games will be held at Werner Park, with 6:35 p.m. CT start times each night. Should Omaha win the best-of-three International League Championship Series against the league’s second half champion, the Storm Chasers would advance to the Triple-A Triple Championship Game at Las Vegas Ballpark on Saturday, September 28. LINK TO 2024 MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFF PROCEDURES.

Currently the best team in Minor League Baseball, with a 47-20 record (.701 winning percentage), the Storm Chasers have led all Minor League teams in wins since May 30, while the Chasers have held sole possession of first place in the 20-team International League for 31 days, since May 19. With a 14-11 record over the first 25 games of the season, Omaha has gone 33-9 over its last 42 games (.786 winning percentage), the best team in professional baseball since May 1, ahead of the New York Yankees (31-12, .721 winning percentage).

Omaha’s +89 run differential leads the International League, while ranking fifth in Minor League Baseball. The Storm Chasers have won 17 one-run games in 2024, more than any other Major or Minor League team, while 26 of the team’s 47 wins have been comeback wins (games where they trailed at any point and came back to win), a whopping 55%.

Omaha’s last trip to the postseason came in 2014, the second of back-to-back Triple-A National Championships. Members of the Pacific Coast League at the time, the 2014 Storm Chasers defeated the Memphis Redbirds three games to one in the PCL American Conference Championship Series, beat the Reno Aces three games to two in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series, then topped the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-2 in the Triple-A National Championship Game.

The Triple-A Omaha franchise has won seven league championships: 1969, 1970, 1978 and 1990 while playing in the American Association, as well as 2011, 2013 and 2014 in the Pacific Coast League. The Omaha Royals won the Triple-A Classic in 1990 and the Omaha Storm Chasers won the Triple-A National Championship in 2013 and 2014.

Single game tickets for LCS Games 1 and 2 will go on sale on Friday, June 21 at 10am with normal Storm Chasers ticket prices. Season ticket holders have until July 14 to contact the Werner Park Box Office to claim their seats for those games. Ticket sales for a potential Game 3 will be announced at a later day.

A Media Day will be held in advance of the International League Championship Series, at a day and time to be announced. Media inquiries, for player, coach or staff interviews can be directed to Storm Chasers Broadcast & Media Relations Manager Nicholas Badders at [email protected].