Omaha chases down history with International League crown
Longevity certainly has its perks. Just ask Triple-A Omaha and manager Mike Jirschele. As the ball settled into center fielder Drew Waters' glove for the final out, the Storm Chasers not only clinched their first International League championship, they accomplished something no other Triple-A club has ever done before. Omaha
Longevity certainly has its perks. Just ask Triple-A Omaha and manager Mike Jirschele.
As the ball settled into center fielder
Omaha polished off a record-breaking year for the franchise by defeating the Columbus Clippers, 7-3, in the decisive Game 3 of the International League Finals on Thursday night at Werner Park. The Storm Chasers' eighth title made them the only Triple-A team in history to win three different league championships.
Omaha won four American Association titles (1969, 1970, 1978, 1990) and three Pacific Coast League crowns (2011, 2013 2014). The club joined the International League in 2022.
The Storm Chasers will now face the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in the Triple-A National Championship Game on Saturday night at Las Vegas Ballpark. MLB Network will air the game live at 10:09 p.m. ET.
Omaha won the final two games after losing the opener, 3-2. The Storm Chasers trailed in both their victories -- twice in Game 2 when they erased eighth-inning and 11th-inning deficits to even the series with a 5-4 win. That type of resolve was what their manager had come to expect from his club.
"These guys have been resilient all year long. We played a lot of close games in the summer and they never gave up or gave in," Jirschele said. "Even if we were down late, they always felt like they were going to win it. They would never say die."
And that's the way it went on Thursday as Columbus jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. A solo homer by Nelson Velázquez in the second inning ignited Omaha, which scored five of the next six runs.
A three-run sixth with highlighted by a bases-loaded single by John Rave that turned a one-run edge into a 7-3 bulge.
A shaky outing by Omaha starter
"It was like that all year," Jirschele said. "The starters would do their job and the bullpen was always there to pick them up, just like the offense did time after time. Even after the first loss [of the IL Finals], the guys came into the clubhouse and said, 'OK, it's a two-game series now.' And they went out and won last night in 11 innings and tonight, took it to them."
Jirschele was also quick to praise Columbus (Guardians), which turned its season around with a strong second half (48-26) en route to its first appearance in the IL Championship Series since winning it all in 2019.
"Columbus really had a terrific second half and came into the series with a ton of momentum," he said. "I give a ton of credit to them for what they did and the year they had."
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The win, and the series, was a microcosm of the entire season for Jirschele's squad. Omaha finished the year tied with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) for the most wins in the International League (89), which included a sizzling 49-24 mark in the first half. The club's 89 wins established a franchise record, eclipsing the 86 victories by the 1990 club.
The championship was the third for Jirschele, who has helmed the club in three separate stints (1995-1997, 2003-2013, 2023-present). The 65-year-old has guided some of Kansas City's top prospects in that time but stopped short of comparing this team to others.
"It’s hard to compare because leagues and talent levels change," Jirschele said. "But the way they played this year … these guys just wouldn’t be denied. We had a good mix of players. Some older guys who kept the younger ones in line and hold them accountable.
"These guys just kept going and going and never quit."
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.