Down 2 in the 9th, Morales/Luna come through clutch for series win.(44.42)

[niles08]

With Omaha up in the series 2-0, and the club at home for game 3 of the Geoghegan Round, things were looking likely to be returning for a game 4 the next night. Chicago had a commanding 5-3 lead in the ninth inning with dominant closer Mitchell Pursell on the mound. Pursell this season had a 1.68 ERA through 80 innings pitched and a combined 4.5 WAR. Amazing numbers for a reliever through just 80 innings. Fans in the stands were already looking on Stubhub for tickets to the next game in the series.

Oliverio Luna, who was not signed with Omaha until August 1st of this year starts the bottom of the ninth with a 2-1 pitch single. Next up, Emilio Morales steps up to the plate. He fouls off the first pitch to go down 0-1. The second pitch he connects with for a 376-foot home run that after coming down outside the fences tied the game at 5.

Let’s take a quick second to appreciate Emilio Morales just a bit more. His season OPS+ is now at a “pedestrian” 119 for his career thanks to his past 2 seasons of just “98”. Morales hit the least amount of home runs this season since the beginning of his 2033 season when he had a career total of just 19. He also had just 508 at bats this season thanks to his broken foot. He managed just one home run every 14 at bats, a far cry from his 66 home run campaign in 2040 where he managed a home run in every 9 at bats.

But wait. let’s appreciate what Morales has been able to accomplish in the postseason. In 190 at bats in the postseason Morales has a .305/.322/.737 triple slash with 25 home runs and 58 RBI. He has struck out 19 times(10%) and hit a home run in 1 out of every 7 at bats. His 161 OPS+ and 161 wRC+ are phenomenal. At no point in his hall of fame career has he ever had a season with a 161 OPS+ so Morales clearly comes to play in October.

Anyhow back to the game…

Both clubs get through the 10th, but then in the bottom of the 11th inning with the game still tied 5-5, Oliverio Luna steps back up to the plate. He watches the first pitch, and fouls off the second pitch. The third pitch of the at bat, Luna swings and connects on a long shot, leaving the ballpark at an estimated 92.5 MPH, it finally lands 444 feet from the plate. As Luna rounds first base in triumph, Cyclones begin to pour from the dugout to meet Luna at home plate.

Luna, who as mentioned signed on August 1st, has legitimately no shot at returning next season to the club because of the clubs tight salary cap, comes through in the clutch twice.

An unlikely hero for Omaha, but one that likely should be remembered despite only 60 career at bats with the club.