Omaha Storm Chasers Playoff Game Notes - September 14th
Published on September 14, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
LAST NIGHT'S LOSS: Omaha suffered the worst shutout loss in team playoff history at 9-0, as well as the second worst playoff loss overall (last year's 13-1 loss to Reno is the worst). The Salt Lake offense totaled 17 hits, tied for the second most allowed all season by the Chasers. The Omaha offense managed only two hits, a season low, off Jarrett Grube in his first career complete game. The Chasers missed the chance to become only the third team to sweep the entirety of the PCL Playoffs since the league adopted two rounds of best-of-five series in 1983, with the only teams being the 2009 Memphis Redbirds and the 1985 Vancouver Canadians.
SANCHES THE STARTER: Brian Sanches made a spot start in the opening game of the 2013 postseason, his first playoff appearance at the Triple-A level or higher, and proceeded to toss 5.2 scoreless innings against the RedHawks. Including that playoff start, Sanches has allowed only five earned runs in seven starts totaling 40.2 innings since the beginning of July (1.11 ERA). Sanches gave up more than two earned runs in only two of his 13 starts this season (the right-hander had made 14 total starts in his last ten seasons). Sanches was one of only eight PCL players in 2013 with ten wins, only the second time in his career he has had double digit wins (2002 with Wichita).
HISTORY STILL ON CHASERS SIDE: The Chasers became the first team since the PCL expanded in 1998 (the year Omaha joined) to win the first two games of the PCL Championship and not complete the sweep, as eight other teams in that span had done before them. Since the PCL adopted the best-of-five Championship Series in 1983 (except for 1993), 16 teams have won the first two games and the only team to lose the series was the 1991 Calgary Cannons 3-2 (lost all three road games in Tucson).
STRANGE BUT TRUE: In 26 Pacific Coast League Playoff games, Omaha has only ever been shut out in Game 3 of the 2012 and 2013 PCL Championship (lost 3-0 to Reno in 2012). In 96 franchise playoff games, Omaha has been shut out seven times.
TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD: Omaha can become the tenth team since 1963 to win at least two PCL titles in the span of three years (1963 was the year the PCL started playing a Championship series every year except for 1978 and 2001). The nine other teams: Oklahoma City 89ers in 1963 and 1965, Spokane Indians in 1973-74, Hawaii Islanders in 1975-76, Albuquerque Dukes in 1980-82 (three straight titles), Las Vegas Stars in 1986 and 1988, Tucson Toros in 1991 and 1993, Edmonton Trappers in 1996-97, Sacramento River Cats in 2003-04 and in 2007-08.
2ND FEWEST WINS FOR CHAMP: Omaha posted a 70-74 record in the regular season, and would have the second fewest wins of any PCL champion since 1963 (when playoffs began consistently in the PCL). The champ with the fewest wins was the 1984 Edmonton Trappers with 69 wins (the Trappers won the North Division first half with a 35-35 record to qualify for the postseason and finished 69-73).
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 14, 2013
- Bees Lose to Omaha in Game 4, Drop PCL Finals Series 3-1 - Salt Lake Bees
- Omaha Storm Chasers Claim Second PCL Championship - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Dodgers Recall Castellanos, Select Contract of Buss - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Omaha Storm Chasers Playoff Game Notes - September 14th - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Bees Shut out Omaha 9-0 in Game 3 of PCL Finals - Salt Lake Bees
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