[Westheim]

We have homefield advantage due to our better record and the series will thus start in Portland.

CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (93-69)

Game 1 – Christopher Powell (11-12, 3.16 ERA) vs. Hunter Frazier (9-17, 3.95 ERA)

The Thunder did not have their ace, Ralph Hoyles available to start the series, and instead sent out their (as I perceived him) weakest piece. This was a must-win scenario for Powell. That the Thunder had problems filling their lineup was visible just by looking at their #1 batter: Troy Scott, former Raccoon, where he had not really made a name for himself with high AVG, OBP or anything else.

The game was scoreless through five. Powell was firmly in control, but the Raccoons had nothing going either. Dawson twice lined out hard with Hall on first to end innings. A leadoff double then got Powell behind in the sixth, 1-0 Thunder, when the runner came around to score. The Raccoons had nothing against Frazier, who got rid of them quickly and without danger to their lead. Powell went seven and left on the hook, when he was pinch hit for with Cam Green in the bottom 7th with a runner on third and two out. Green struck out.

Cunningham came in the ninth and also fell victim of a leadoff double, as the Thunder scored another another run, but it didn’t matter. The ‘Coons could not get their bats on the balls firmly enough, and lost the series opener, 2-0.

Game 2 – Logan Evans (18-5, 2.92 ERA) vs. Ralph Hoyles (16-10, 2.72 ERA)

There was Hoyles. Things didn’t look very good now.

Logan Evans again struggled with his control. He plunked Alfonso Aranda in the top 2nd to give the Thunder their first baserunner, but he didn’t score. Alex White dropped an easy flyer to lead off the third, but Evans worked around that one as well. As erratic as he was early on, he soon settled in and clicked off batters one by one.

As did Hoyles. The Raccoons didn’t see any land against him, and if they did get a runner on once in a while, they instantly grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Meanwhile, the attention shifted to something else: Logan Evans had a no-hitter intact through seven innings! While a few had gotten on with all the mishaps, all had been stranded at third, and they had not hit against him so far. Problem was, Hoyles also was great and the game was scoreless.

Chris Smith led off the bottom 7th with a double to left, the first runner to reach second for the Furballs in this game. Hall got the thumb to go to first to face the (in the last month) weaker Mark Dawson. He singled up the middle to load the bases and now things got interesting with slugger Matt Workman up. Hoyles (a righty, so no match to lefty Workman) remained in and pitched to Workman – who dipped a single to short center, and two runs scored. They scored another run on a groundout to take a 3-0 lead.

Frederick Webb broke up the no-hitter with five outs to go, with an infield hit that nobody got to. Webb, one of those scraps only on the roster because of injuries, got around to score, but the Raccoons rebounded with a run in the bottom of the inning, grounded in by Dawson.

Logan Evans was allowed to go after a complete game, but Aranda doubled with two down and the experiment was ended instantly. Grant West came in to strike out Dave Peterson and end the game. 4-1 Raccoons, and the series is tied heading to Oklahoma. Smith 2-4, 2B, 3B; Hall 1-2, 2 BB (both intentional); Sanchez 2-3; Evans 8.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K;