[Westheim]

Still not in the mood, but since every other game I turn to hates me just as much…

Raccoons (41-49) @ Canadiens (39-50) – July 14-17, 1994

The Canadiens came out of the All Star break with the most horrible RPP (Run Prevention Program) in the CL at 412 runs allowed. The Raccoons’ former strength wasn’t exactly that, either, with a 7th rank and 384 runs allowed. That’s not a lot of difference in there. We were able to start Kisho Saito on regular rest for the opener, and made one change in the rotation in moving Raimundo Beato up to the #2 spot ahead of Jason Turner, who would pitch game #3 on one extra day of rest then.

The Coons piled on Kevin Williams in the opener of the 4-game set, and pretty well so, scoring six runs in the first five innings. This included a monstrous 2-run homer by Royce Green in the first, and a less monstrous but still huge 2-run homer by Mark Allen in the fifth. Kisho Saito didn’t pitch too well, either, but while he was shoddy, he was at least somewhat effective in getting the Coons into and out of trouble repeatedly, and despite allowing runners in six of his seven innings, was tagged only once, with a 2-run shot by Antonio Esquivel in the bottom 6th. Now enter the bullpen, with Tim Mallandain facing his first batter since being recalled from AAA, allowing a single, and going for the showers instantly. Juan Martinez came in, and while he conceded Mallandain’s run, pitched the rest of the way. 7-3 Coons. Green 2-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; O’Morrissey 2-4, BB, 2B; Salazar 3-5, RBI; Rodriguez 2-5, RBI; Saito 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (7-5) and 1-3; Martinez 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Raimundo Beato – just promoted in the rotation – pookied himself out of game 2 in a hurry. He was horrible. Just horrible. Five hits and five walks led to five runs in just three innings, and he was removed for a pinch-hitter in the top 4th. There, the Coons were down 5-1, their only run unearned, and had two unearned runners in scoring position – yes, the Canadiens were that botchy in the field. Pitcher John Collins struck out Quinn, Hall, and Baldivía in order to quell the unearned threat. Yes, the Raccoons were that abysmal at the plate. The game was declared lost right there. The Canadiens then scored four more runs on the miscarriage that was Tim Mallandain. Jose Rodriguez hit his first home run of the year, apart from that it was a game void of highlights. 9-4 Canadiens. Green 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Salazar 2-4, BB; West 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Tim Mallandain was booted to St. Petersburg – and with that I mean kicked with a boot all the way, which made for almost 98,000 kicks – because his ineptness was exhausting. We recalled Daniel Miller mainly because I lacked other options at this point.

Neil Reece was cleared to resume playing (praise everything that’s holy!) and was assigned for a rehab stint to Florida to get his swing going. He should return to Portland after the weekend. The more interesting question was, whom he would replace on the roster. Is time running out for Bobby Quinn as part of the Raccoons?

Game 3. For the second time in the series, the Raccoons took a first inning lead on a round-tripper by Royce Green, this time a solo shot. Green was in swinging mood in the game: in the third inning, he tattooed a 1-2 splitter from Manny Ramos into the stands on the other side of the field for two more runs, 3-0. Bobby Quinn upped that with a 2-jack to 5-0 in the fourth. As the Canadiens’ staff fell apart, Jason Turner was doing very well on the mound. He was perfect through four innings before an infield single by Luis Arroyo broke up his line. Turner’s outing went from a clean 100 into a plunge right here, as catcher Edgardo Ramos soon hit a 2-out, 3-run home run off him, and Turner was blown up for three more runs in the sixth, with a 2-run home run by Arroyo knocking him from the game. Ten batters – six runs scored. While the bullpen was shaking badly the rest of the way, and the Canadiens had the tying run at the plate in three of the remaining innings, our relief corps held up. 8-6 Raccoons. Salazar 3-5; Green 2-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI; Kinnear 2-5, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI; O’Morrissey 2-3, BB, 2 2B, RBI;

Game 4. Scott Wade retired the first two Canadiens, then put four on, falling 1-0 behind, and the Canadiens soon made it 2-0. While Wade was mildly awful, the Raccoons failed to knock Ruben Prado (3-12, 5.38 ERA) for crying out loud. It took them five innings to even get a hit against the sucker. They left two on in the fifth, including Wade, who had actually singled. Ultimately, the Canadiens left their runners on left and right, and with the Coons it was just this teeth-gritting inability to beat the most incompetent pitchers to pulp. The Raccoons had their first two men on in the sixth, had the bags full with one out, and then Allen grounded into a force at home. Down 3-0 in the top 8th: Green singled, Kinnear singled, Green to third. No outs. A good team scores two or ties the game here, especially against a weak nut like Prado. The Raccoons didn’t score one until with two down, remained behind 3-1, and the kids in row one were littering me with peanuts. And they were laughing, too. But because the Canadiens were about as terrible a team this season, we still got another chance when Raúl Solís threw away Ron McDonald’s slow grounder in the top 9th. Instead of a possible inning-ending double play he got an error, and the Coons had the tying runners on with one out. Green singled to load the bases. Kinnear came up in the spot usually occupied by Neil Reece, who wasn’t here yet. Kinnear grounded into a force at home, and O-Mo rolled out. 3-1 Canadiens. Green 3-5, 2B; Allen 2-4, RBI;

In other news

July 16 – LAP INF Carlos Cook (.309, 5 HR, 50 RBI) has suffered a sprained wrist and will miss at least one month on the DL.
July 18 – The Warriors flip 26-year old INF/LF/RF Rafael Herrera (.287, 4 HR, 35 RBI) to the Capitals for 34-year old C/1B Jack Jackson (.182, 3 HR, 17 RBI). Seems like the Warriors GM was drunk or lost a bet or something.

Complaints and stuff

It didn’t translate into rousing success overall with the third 2-2 split against the Canadiens this year, but at least Royce Green got a reward for his barrage this stunted week, as his 8-16, 3 HR, 6 RBI performance netted him the CL’s Player of the Week award.

Since I don’t want to report anything negative today, this update ends here.