Hitters
Lorenzo Cain
Lorenzo Cain
Cain has hit in every postseason game, including FIVE hits on Friday night, and has continued to play defense like a gazelle.* His hits include two doubles and a triple.
*I wish I could remember who described Cain’s defense like that to me after he joined the Royals. “A [gosh darn] gazelle” was the phrase, and it’s true. Omaha’s outfield is so fast and so rangey…it’s awesome to watch, isn’t it?
Joaquin Arias
After going 0fer in the first game of the series, Arias caught fire, collecting six hits in the other three games of the series. He did make a defensive boner at first base Friday night that opened the door for Round Rock to score three runs in the 11th, but really, he should not have been at 1B in the first place. In the 10th, Mike Jirschele pinch-ran for Kila Ka’aihue, bringing Lance Zawadzki into the game for no discernible reason. That shuffled the whole infield around and put Arias at first, where he let a ground ball go through his legs, Buckner-style. There were two outs, and all three Round Rock runs scored after that.
That error aside, Arias has had a good postseason. He is versatile, and he atoned somewhat for the big error by reaching base twice on Saturday afternoon – a close game in which every baserunner counted.
Manuel Pina
Manuel Pina
Manuel “not Manny” Pina doubled and scored on Wednesday, singled and homered on Thursday, and singled and walked twice on Friday. Not too shabby.
Kila Ka’aihue
Even if Kila’s only contribution was the game-winning homer on Saturday, he’d belong on this list. But he also doubled and homered in the game Friday to keep the team in it before he was lifted for a pinch runner. I still wonder what he would have done if it had been him, instead of Zawadzki, batting for Omaha in the 11th.
Clint Robinson
Robinson has hits in every postseason game, including a first-inning homer on Wednesday that set a nice tone for the whole series.
Pitchers
Sean O’Sullivan
The Chasers bullpen had to throw eight innings on Friday night, so it was important for O’Sullivan to go deep in the game Saturday. He could barely have been better, given that he took a perfect game into the 7th, and a no-hitter into the 8th.
Luis Mendoza
Kelvin Herrera
The PCL Pitcher of the Year threw seven shutout innings to start the postseason, and will take the mound again for Game 1 of the upcoming series.
Kelvin Herrera
It took Herrera 22 pitches to get through two innings at Round Rock on Wednesday. He struck out four Express hitters, and threw only four balls. His arm should be fresh and ready to go for Sacramento, five of whom have struck out against Herrera in 2.2 innings of work earlier this season.
The Storm Chasers take on the Sacramento RiverCats starting Tuesday. Games 1 and 2 will be at home, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:05. You can buy tickets here, or try your luck at the ticket window the day of each game. I’ll be roaming around with my camera on Tuesday, and working the Wednesday game. The weather is supposed to be autumn-glorious both days, so bring a jacket and be sure to say hello if you see me at the park!
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