Storm Claim Division Title, Head to Cal League Championship Series

LAKE ELSINORE — Throughout the second half of the season, the Lake Elsinore offense was the most potent in the California League. Thursday night, they were largely held in check, but stellar pitching and a clutch homer from one of the team’s best performers down the stretch sent the Storm to their second California League championship series in three years.

Miguel Mendez put his team in a position to win. (Photo: Robert Escalante)

Miguel Mendez, Kleiber Olmedo, and Tyson Neighbors combined to allow just one unearned run on four hits as the Storm claimed a 2-1 victory over the Visalia Rawhide.

The Storm got an early lead as Kai Roberts again caused havoc out of the leadoff spot. The lefty laced a  102 mph single to right. He then stole second, his 15th in as many attempts in 26 games for the Storm.

As Jack Costello struck out and Brendan Durfee drew a walk, Roberts consistently took big secondary leads and lingered off the bag at second, eventually coaxing a pickoff attempt from the catcher. When the throw went off the second baseman’s glove into short center, Roberts advanced to third.

Two pitches later, Ryan Jackson lofted a fly to mid-depth left field, and Roberts beat out the throw to give Lake Elsinore the lead. It perfectly encapsulates how the 23-year-old, who was drafted out of the University of Utah after a strong senior year, has used his speed effectively since starting his professional career.

For a while, it seemed that run might be all the offense either team would muster, as the Storm managed just one more single through the first five innings.

Meanwhile, Mendez fought his command all night, walking the first and last batters he faced and three others in between. But the hard-throwing righty managed to get into the sixth inning by inducing 10 ground balls outs to help work out of several jams.

Mendez, 22, worked through the first three frames without allowing a hit, but after a one-out error behind him in the fourth, he left a fastball dead center against Druw Jones, who laced it into center for a single. Roberts bobbled the ball, allowing the lead runner to advance to third. After another walk loaded the bases, Visalia’s first baseman Ben McLaughlin lofted a sacrifice fly to push the tying run across. A third error in the inning again loaded the bases, but Mendez reached back for a strikeout, finishing the at-bat with a 96 mph fastball after a pair of sliders got him ahead in the count.

After he worked around a leadoff single in an eight-pitch fifth inning, Mendez came back out for the sixth but walked the first two batters to end his night. Olmedo came on and was immediately helped when Oswaldo Linares gunned down Jones, trying to steal third base. After a line drive out to Roberts, Olmedo picked up the first five strikeouts on the night to keep the game tied.

Braedon Karpathios put the Storm ahead with an impressive homer. (Photo: Robert Escalante)

Braedon Karpathios untied it in the bottom of the frame, slicing a line drive homer the opposite way over the low fence in the left field corner. It was another moment of heroics for the 21-year-old outfielder, who has been among the league’s best hitters since the All-Star break. The Pennsylvania native moved closer to the plate, became more aggressive after a trip home, and has seen stellar results. He connected on six of his nine homers for the year since.

Given the lead, Olmedo recorded punchouts with his slider, fastball, and changeup over two more impressive innings. The 20-year-old and lefty Yovannki Perez have been the most intriguing performers among the pitchers from the 2023 international class. He will likely open next year as a starter for Lake Elsinore and look to build on some solid work in his 51 innings this year.

The Storm, who were South Division champs in both halves of the season, will play Modesto in a best-of-three championship series beginning with a home game Sunday.

Notes: Leo De Vries continued to work back from the right shoulder injury he suffered diving for a ball on August 17, taking grounders and hitting on the field while wearing a brace. He still isn’t making throws, but he should be on track to be at full speed when the Arizona Fall League gets underway. He’ll be the youngest player ever to appear in the showcase circuit.