[Westheim]

Raccoons (64-88) @ Indians (87-65)

The Indians clinched the CL North right in the first game, beating the Raccoons 7-5. Gary Simmons had been highly erratic, giving up seven hits and seven walks for five runs in five innings. There was no recovery from that, only in the ninth did the Raccoons threaten again against Ben Green. But only one run scored there and the chance was missed. At one point in July, Simmons had been 5-4 with a 2.75 ERA. He had gone 2-8 with a 4.45 ERA since.

With the Indians in the playoffs, the magic number was 5 for the Buffaloes, 6 for the Thunder, and 9 for the Scorpions. Only the Scorpions have made the playoffs before, so there could be as many as three debutee teams in the post season this time.

Logan Evans was up in game 2. He had made a collapse similar to Simmons since July, going from 5-5 with a 3.42 ERA until early July to a 1-8 record and 5.65 ERA since then.

Evans posted the following line: 6.2 IP, 8 H, 6 BB, 4 K, 4 ER. Most of the damage came in the first three innings, but I left him in, because I figured, why use up the pen, get saddled with 12 runs. The Raccoons lost 4-3, and if Evans could have sucked just a little less … never mind.

Carlos Moran got the start in game 3, this time without rain. He went six innings, surrendering all runs in a 3-0 loss. Raccoons fanned ten times. And were generally awful. Fast forward, quick!

Raccoons (64-91) @ Canadiens (75-80)

Four games in Vancouver, last chance to top that 67-95 records from 1977 and 1978. Because, let’s face it, they will lose all three in New York to end the season. They had lost 9 of the last 11 games, and in September were 7-18 overall. Nuff said.

The Raccoons led game 1 by a narrow 1-0 score for a long time, but in the seventh it got away. A flyball took an ugly bounce at Daniel Hall in left, and Ocasio served up a homer on the next pitch. Raccoons lost 3-1 despite out-hitting Vancouver 6-5.

Hoyt Cook went 3-4 with 5 RBI in game 2 to pick up Christopher Powell, who had shaky first two innings, allowing a leadoff homer and another run in game 2. That was it for the Canadiens, the Raccoons won 6-2. Cameron Green hurt his back making a sprawling catch in the seventh and would have to sit out at least a few days.

The offense kept on humming in game 3, helping Simmons to a 5-3 win. The Canadiens scored their runs with long balls off Simmons (1 for 1 run) and Coleman (1 for 2 runs). Gaston came on to get his first save in ages. He has just three saves in the last eight weeks! Testament to the Raccoons’ horrible late season collapse, right there.

Game 4 was Evans’ last start of the season. His control was better, but he surrendered tons of hits. The Raccoons came to bat in the top 5th down 4-3. They started major fireworks and plated eight runs in the inning for an 11-4 lead. Evans was in line for an easy win. He blew it and didn’t get through the bottom 5th. With two in, two on, and one out he was pulled.

This was a sad story, again, which should be contemplated over for a few seconds.

Moran picked up the slack, and the Raccoons piled on in the seventh with four more runs. Wyatt Johnston entered his pinch hitter to lead off and made two outs in the inning on separate plays. ‘nother sad story. Anyway, the ninth saw a 2-run homer by Angel Costa, the most unlikely of all sources for a long ball, completing the 17-6 rout of the Canadiens and clinching the first series (3-1) in almost a month (after the 4-game series against the Titans, also 3-1, from September 4 to 7).

Costa, Hall, and Sánz all were 3-5. All eight positional starters had at least one hit, and all but Ben Cox had at least two. Costa, Hall, and Simon all batted in three.

Raccoons (67-92) @ Crusaders (81-78)

The Raccoons need one win to post a new franchise record for wins in a season. This is sad enough, but the Raccoons’ record against the Crusaders all time is a staggering 16-53 (.232) …!!

Ocasio pitched as awful as ever in game 1, but somehow got through five unhurt. That changed in the sixth, where the Crusaders scored all they needed for the 3-1 win. Raccoons loaded them up in both the eighth and ninth with one out each time, but only scored once in the eighth. Shameful.

Christopher Powell got the ball for game 2, my only hope for a new best record for the Raccoons. Isn’t it sad to hope for a 68-94 record? But at least we got there. Powell did everything I asked for, scattering five hits over seven innings, while the offense produced rather well in a 6-0 win. The bullpen almost broke down in the eighth, but West and Jenkins got a K and a groundout against the Crusaders’ 3-4 pair with the bags full. Cook was 3-4 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Season finale. Johnston and Zuniga started over Cook and Clark. Cook had by now wrestled the 1B starters’ job from Johnston, but the latter’s vesting option for 1981 had triggered already, so they would both be back next year.

Daniel Hall bashed his 20th home run in the first inning, scoring Hermundo as well for an early 2-0 lead. Gary Simmons instantly gave it away again with homers to Cecil Ward and Hector Atilano. The Raccoons chopped the Crusaders’ Kyle Owens to pieces in the second to take a new 7-2 lead. At first it seemed Simmons was inclined to lose the game at all costs, but he settled in eventually and went six frames with four runs across. Up 8-4, many bench players got at bats and sessions on the mound. Hoyt Cook came to pinch hit with two out in the top 9th for 1-4 Johnston. He lined one through the gap at second to finish the season with a .300 average! The bullpen had a few hiccups in the bottom 9th, but Wally Gaston came in to end it, getting Michinaga Yamada to ground into a double play to end the game, 8-6, and the season.

In other news:
October 1 – The Buffaloes slam the Capitals 10-3 to clinch the FL East for the first time in franchise history.
October 2 – The Condors acquire reliever Felix Gonzales, formerly a starter for the Warriors, from the Miners in exchange for 17-year old outfield prospect Tsuneyo Okamoto.
October 2 – One series left. The Thunder lead the Bayhawks by 3, and the two will match up to end the season. The Bayhawks need to sweep the Thunder to even force a tie-breaker. In the FL West, the Scorpions lead the Warriors by 2. They will play at home against the Wolves and Pacifics, respectively.
October 3 – The Bayhawks beat the Thunder 7-6, as LF Thomas Martin slaps five hits in an 11-inning affair to keep the CL South open.
October 3 – The Warriors lose 5-0 at home to the Pacifics and are eliminated when the Scorpions walk off in the 11th against the Wolves, 3-2, courtesy of Jack Williams, who singles to right to allow Mike Gamble to try for home. Gamble beats the throw, clinching the Scorpions’ third playoff appearance.
October 3 – Joe Ellis pitches a 3-hitter as the Falcons thump the Knights, 9-0.
October 4 – Thunder fans have deja vus by now. Their team loses 5-1 to the Bayhawks, evoking memories from 1977, when the Thunder were also swept by the Bayhawks to lose their post season berth.
October 5 – A 9-run seventh inning turns the game around as the Thunder wreck the Bayhawks 16-7 to clinch the CL South on the final day of play.
October 5 – In the final game of the season, the Scorpions lose SS Beau Horn to a knee sprain. He will have to sit out the playoffs.
October 5 – The Gold Sox beat the Stars 6-0 in a meaningless 162nd game. The winning pitcher tosses a 4-hitter: Laurentij Mlotkovsky, a former Raccoons minor league pitcher.
October 6 – Scorpions ace Juan “Mauler” Correa wins the pitching triple crown with a 28-4, 2.11 ERA, 200 K season.

Outfielder John Thompson of the Raccoons’ AAA team retired at the age of 35. He spent four seasons there, never progressing to the majors.

Players on the DL missing from the roster stat pic below:
Jorge Romero (32 GS, 12-11, 3.10 ERA, 1.31 WHIP)
Rich Hughes (20 G, 0 GS, 1-0, 0.89 ERA, 1.08 WHIP)
Jason White (1 G, 0 GS, 0.1 IP, 0-0, 27.00 ERA, 6.00 WHIP)
Ralph Nixon (73 G, 250 AB, .304 / .361 / .444, 9 HR, 35 RBI)