[Westheim]

Raccoons (69-61) @ Aces (67-63) – August 27-29, 2029

The Coons that just ****ing wouldn’t die would stop by in Vegas on the way home, facing the Aces that sat third from the bottom in runs scored as well as in runs allowed. Somehow that amounted to third place in the South and a winning record, and I will not even attempt to explain it… We were 4-2 against them in ’29.

Projected matchups:
Trevor Draper (3-2, 4.56 ERA) vs. Abramo Archibugi (14-9, 2.97 ERA)
Dave Martinez (2-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Jose Menendez (8-10, 5.98 ERA)
Kyle Anderson (4-4, 2.97 ERA) vs. Chris Guyett (13-11, 3.41 ERA)

German Sanchez was deactivated to allow Draper, reluctantly, to make the spot start on Monday. There was just no option to supersede Dave Martinez on Tuesday. Things are somewhat frightening around here… Monday would also be the day where we faced the lefty in Archibugi, giving our regulars a day off before they could collapse under the strain of scratching out wins.

Game 1
POR: CF Magallanes – SS Stalker – LF Jamieson – RF Rodriguez – 1B Gomez – C Tovias – 2B Baldwin – 3B Gerster – P Draper
LVA: CF Leader – LF Dunlap – 1B Ra. Tello – 3B Grigsby – SS Hawkins – C Scheffer – 2B Donahue – RF Barrientos – P Archibugi

Who was the more pathetic cleanup batter? Regardless of that, the Coons got two singles, two walks, and an actual run when Rafael Gomez ticked one into shallow center to score Tim Stalker with two outs for a first-inning marker. The Aces did not get more than a Tom Hawkins double off Draper in the early going, and Archibugi kept leaking runners, conceding leadoff singles to Jamieson and Rodriguez in the top 3rd. Gomez flew out to Bill Leader, the leadoff man (sic!), in the gap, but Elias Tovias found a hole in the other gap between Leader and Tom Dunlap for an RBI double, then got doubled off second base when Baldwin lined out to Hawkins… yet, Tim Stalker added a pair with a homer to left in the fourth, going deep with two outs and Magallanes aboard. That made it 4-0, and that 4-0 lead was near busting in the bottom of the same inning. Ramon Tello opened with a double to left, Draper walked long-ago fail-Coon Mike Grigsby (batting .242 with seven homers) and Philip Scheffer, but then was lucky enough that with one down Evan Donahue spanked a fast bouncer right into Butch Gerster’s glove, Gerster held on, AND went around 5-4-3 to end the inning.

Somehow, nobody quite understood how, the defense made Draper hold up for six innings of shutout ball, and yes, it was defense alone. There were four hits and four walks on Draper’s ledger, and not one strikeout. Rafael Gomez made a sharp play to strand two to end the bottom 6th, and the seventh would start with the left-handed Ramiro Barrientos. What could possibly go wrong there? Barrientos poked at the first pitch, legged out the resulting roller for a single, and when Matt Hamilton pinch-hit for Archibugi, the Coons went lefty-for-lefty despite three left-handed batters coming up, sending Brotman into the game. Brotman gave up a single to Hamilton, and then a 3-run homer to Dunlap, so there was that. THAT could go wrong there. Fleischer replaced Brotman, walked Grigsby, walked PH Justin Quinn, balked them into scoring position… and then Scheffer struck out when he just had to wait for the inevitable third walk, and that ended the inning. Top 8th, Arturo Arellano began with a single conceded to Baldwin, then had Andres Medina, who had come in at short with Hawkins removed, misfire a Gerster grounder that could have been two and ended up none. The Coons did not **** around here and sent Abel Mora to hit for Fleischer. The count ran to 3-1, and Arellano *had* to get a strike here. Abel knew. Abel was ready. Abel beat him, a screaming 3-piece to right that re-established slam range! Matt Stonecipher wobbled in the bottom 8th and put two on (including Josh Motley with an error of his own), but Leader hit into a double play to defuse the inning, and Stonecipher retired the Aces in order in the ninth. 7-3 Coons. Stalker 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Jamieson 2-4, BB; Tovias 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, RBI; Mora (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI; Stonecipher 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Game 2
POR: CF Mora – 3B Nunley – LF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – 2B Stalker – RF Gomez – C Ivey – SS Gerster – P Martinez
LVA: CF Leader – LF Dunlap – SS A. Medina – 1B Barrientos – C Motley – RF Quinn – 3B Hawkins – P Jo. Menendez – 2B Donahue

To start the game, Mora and Nunley both hit singles past either side of Evan Donahue, but the bid quickly fell apart when Jamieson hit into a double play and Harenberg whiffed. Nobody else reached base in the first three innings, for either team, and it was Nunley to become the next base runner with a leadoff single in the fourth. Jamieson also singled, and when Harenberg looped one over the head of Hawkins for another single, the bags were full and nobody was retired – the worst situation to be in for both the team opposing the Raccoons… and the Raccoons. Tim Stalker struck out. Rafael Gomez hit into a double play. I was slightly mad.

I was still chewing on my hat when Dunlap drew a walk to end a string of ten straight Aces retired by Dave Martinez (who??) to begin the game. Andres Medina singled to center, but Barrientos hit to Stalker for a 4-6-3 and the inning ended. The Coons finally scratched out a run in the top of the fifth when Shane Ivey led off with a scratch single and was plated by Mora with two outs, and the following inning Jamieson and Stalker were on the corners with one out, and Gomez dropped a blooper into no man’s land for an RBI single. It was the Critters’ second run on ten singles. Runners remained on the corners, even through K’s to Ivey and Gerster. The Aces also left them on the corners in the bottom of the inning, and the Coons were right back in action in the seventh, which Martinez started with a single. A walk and a single filled the bags with nobody out (sounds familiar?), and this time one rousing run was scored on a Harenberg grounder, while Jamieson and Stalker were rung up. At least Martinez continued to confound the Aces and lasted seven and two thirds before a Bill Leader single created a stir. Garavito came on, got a grounder from Dunlap, and that was the eighth. No, only Boles got tagged for a run in this game, giving up a solo homer to Ramiro Barrientos in the bottom 9th. Nobody else reached, though. 3-1 Coons. Mora 2-4, BB, RBI; Nunley 3-5; Jamieson 2-4; Magallanes (PH) 1-1; Martinez 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, W (3-0) and 1-2;

Game 3
POR: CF Mora – 3B Nunley – LF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – 2B Stalker – RF Gomez – C Tovias – SS Gerster – P Anderson
LVA: CF Leader – LF Dunlap – RF M. Hamilton – SS A. Medina – 1B Barrientos – C Motley – 3B Grigsby – P Guyett – 2B Donahue

The Coons filled the bags before they made an out on a leadoff walk to Mora and then two singles to left-center. Kevin Harenberg narrowly beat the range of Grigsby for an RBI single, Stalker dropped a soft one into right for another RBI single, Gomez struck out, but Tovias singled to center to make it 3-0. Gerster was rung up, badly, and Anderson dropped a roller on the infield that… nobody managed to play anywhere, putting Kyle Anderson on base with a 2-out infield RBI single and extending the score to 4-0. Mora then grounded out to third base. Now, Anderson was a bit lacking in command… the Aces got a few walks early on, and had Motley and Grigsby in scoring position with two outs in the bottom 2nd. Evan Donahue lined to shallow right, but Rafael Gomez made an amazing running catch, blasting in at full steam, and even then he had played rather shallow here to make the play at all. The Aces did get on the board the following inning, though. Leader led off with a single, stole second and reached third on Tovias’ throwing error, and then came home on a Hamilton double to right that would have plated him maybe even from first base, so the run was earned. Anderson kept having troubles; Guyett singled off him in the fourth and he walked Donahue, all with two outs, and then Gomez made another hustling grab to retire Leader near the line. Anderson had less luck in the fifth; Hamilton took him deep to cut the gap to 4-2, and then a Barrientos double and Motley single created a 2-out run before Grigsby flew out to center. Five innings was all the Coons got from Anderson, who allowed seven hits and three walks.

Unfortunately, the Critters could not kick the offense back into gear. They got a few leadoff men on, but that led to double play grounders by Gomez in the fifth and Mora in the sixth, while Billy Brotman ached through two innings in relief against a very much left-handed lineup (part of Anderson’s troubles, surely). Top of the eighth, the Coons loaded them up with one out against the Aces’ very resilient Chris Guyett. Tovias singled, Magallanes walked in place of Gerster, and Baldwin singled hitting for Brotman. That brought up the top of the order with Mora, who got nailed with an 0-2 pitch, which was a very painful, but equally precious run. Nunley brought in another run with a single to left, and Baldwin was thrown out at home plate there. Jamieson flew out to right against Arturo Arellano to end the inning, now up 6-3. Ricky Ohl and Josh Boles took care of the rest. 6-3 Coons!! Nunley 2-4, BB, RBI; Tovias 3-5, RBI; Baldwin (PH) 1-1; Brotman 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

That was the second straight game where we dished out at least 12 hits, and they were all singles.

Never mind; the Coons managed to tie the Indians for first place during this series, then watched the Arrowheads play the Elks on Thursday when the Critters were off in Portland. Or at least we tried to – the Indians-Elks tilt was rained out and the division stayed knotted until Friday, when they’d try to play two, while we were content trying our paws at one game against the Crusaders.

Raccoons (72-61) vs. Crusaders (66-66) – August 31-September 2, 2029

The Crusaders were on the very tail end of the five-pack atop the CL North and really needed a major scoop here in town to stay close as we headed into September (rosters would expand for the second game in the series). They had yet to win this week and ranked second from the bottom in runs scored as well as fourth in runs allowed. Overall, that was a net negative at -20. The Raccoons were up 7-4 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Jamie O’Leary (2-6, 3.70 ERA) vs. Mel Lira (7-16, 4.10 ERA)
Mark Roberts (12-9, 3.22 ERA) vs. Eddie Cannon (10-8, 4.21 ERA)
TBD vs. Mike Rutkowski (9-9, 3.76 ERA)

Only righties on offer here!

The Coons planned to activate both Rico Gutierrez and Rich Hereford on Saturday along with a few other roster additions.

Game 1
NYC: 3B Schmit – LF M. Owen – CF Coca – C F. Delgado – RF Reardon – 1B Tadlock – 2B T. Fuentes – SS Cameron – P Lira
POR: CF Mora – 3B Nunley – LF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – SS Stalker – RF Gomez – C Tovias – 2B Baldwin – P O’Leary

The moment Nick Valdes started to breath down my neck again, things decidedly started to not work out anymore. While the Coons took a 1-0 lead on Harenberg’s 2-out double that chased home Mora in the first inning, Felipe Delgado’s double and Chris Reardon’s single in the top 2nd were enough to equalize. The Coons had Tovias and Baldwin aboard with one out in the bottom 2nd, but O’Leary bunted into a force at third base to give Mora a less great chance to do damage, and when he did lace a liner to left, Matt Owen threw himself into the ball and caught it to end the inning. Things got worse for Mora, who hurt himself on a defensive play in the fourth inning and had to leave the game in favor of Magallanes.

Top 5th, O’Leary plunked the pitcher and walked Andy Schmit with one out. Owen hit into a fielder’s choice, but that brought up Tony Coca, who had 30 homers and still 24 stolen bases after having been thrown out by Tovias in the third. But this was the right spot for him to do serious damage in a 1-1 game. The Raccoons *could* go to a right-hander here… but didn’t. Too early, too panicky. Coca hit an RBI single to right, and Owen was thrown out between second and third to end the inning, but that could have gone better… or worse. Indeed worse was that the Coons stranded pairs of runners in the bottoms of the fifth and sixth innings, Harenberg and Rodriguez grounding out respectively, the latter in place of O’Leary. The Crusaders did tack on, plating a run on two leadoff singles against Fleischer in the seventh, and I had Valdes’ whispers in my ear, wondering why our boys couldn’t do that, why? Truth be told, I wondered the same; Magallanes hit a leadoff single in the seventh, then was stranded at third base, while Tony Coca hit #31 off Surginer in the eighth. And despite all the crummy – the tying run was at the plate in the bottom 9th against Travis Giordano, who allowed singles to Gerster and Nunley before Jamieson came up with two outs, but grounded out to J.D. Laughery to end the game. 4-1 Crusaders. Harenberg 2-4, 2B, RBI; Tovias 2-4, 2B; Baldwin 1-2, BB; Gerster (PH) 1-1;

The month of August ended with the Arrowheads leading the Coons and Titans by half a game. The Elks were 3 1/2 back, and the Crusaders were out by a handful.

The tension was unbearable.

Then, call-ups! Rico Gutierrez (2-1, 1.63 ERA) and Rich Hereford (.263, 6 HR, 33 RBI) were activated from their rehab stints. We also added Nick Derks, who had a 3.96 ERA in AAA and had posted an 11.81 ERA earlier this year for Portland, Billy Ramm (3.50 and 5.82 respectively), and some non-right-handed batting options with Ryan Allan (who you may remember from earlier in the season before he went on the DL and from there straight to AAA) and 2B Sam Cass, who had made a 15 AB cameo last year, batting not a whole damn lot. Finally, Daniel Rocha as unsuccessful third catcher. That extended the roster to 32, including the ailing Abel Mora.

Game 2
NYC: 3B Schmit – LF M. Owen – CF Coca – C F. Delgado – RF Reardon – 2B Lichty – 1B Olszewski – SS Cameron – P R. Gonzalez
POR: CF Magallanes – SS Stalker – LF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – 2B Hereford – 3B Nunley – RF Rodriguez – C Tovias – P Roberts

Robby Gonzalez (7-9, 4.81 ERA) gave up a solo homer to Tim Stalker in the first, but then dug in, while Mark Roberts retired New York in order the first time through, whiffing four, before Schmit singled to begin the fourth, a clean one to center. Matt Owen doubled him up, Coca singled, but Delgado popped out to end the frame. Portland scratched out a run on a string of 2-out singles by the 6-7-8 crew in the bottom 4th, staking Roberts to a 2-0 lead. Roberts retained a 2-hit shutout until he didn’t, hanging one to Felipe Delgado with two outs in the seventh that was bombed to Nowhere, Idaho and cut the lead in half. Overall, there was precious little offense; in the bottom 6th the Coons had more 2-out singles by Nunley and Rodriguez, but Tovias lined out to the shortstop Joe Cameron to strand them that time around. No more offense came forth for Portland against Gonzalez and Keith Roofener, leaving Josh Boles to his own devices in the ninth, which started with Ron Tadlock pinch-hitting in the #9 hole. Tadlock singled to left on the first pitch, then moved up on a bunt and a fly to center. That brought up Tony Coca with the tying run at third, and the Coons had none of that! Intentional walk! Mind, Boles was still going to face a right-hander here, but it was Delgado, the catcher. Whom Boles struck out …! 2-1 Furballs!! Nunley 2-4; Rodriguez 2-4; Tovias 2-3, 2B, RBI; Roberts 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (13-9);

WHOAH.

Okay, there were some issues, like Hereford posting an oh-fer, but eh, one game.

Game 3
NYC: 3B Schmit – LF M. Owen – CF Coca – C F. Delgado – RF Reardon – 2B Lichty – 1B Jam. Richardson – SS Cameron – P E. Cannon
POR: CF Magallanes – SS Stalker – LF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – 2B Hereford – 3B Nunley – RF Rodriguez – C Tovias – P Gutierrez

The crowd was buzzing (and even Nick Valdes was pleased and humming into my left ear) for Rico’s return to the mound after four long months away, and the Coons immediately gave him work. Owen singled on a ball Hereford missed in the first, but was doubled up, and then Stalker threw away a Delgado grounder and Rico had to grind to keep him from scoring in the second. He kept the Crusaders to two hits through four before a Harenberg homer gave him the lead in the bottom 4th. Rich Hereford came up with a gapper for a triple after that, but was stranded when the Crusaders went around Nunley, who got four intentionally wide ones, got a pop from Rodriguez, and a groundout from Tovias to end the inning. Rico kept the Crusaders shut out until he ran into Tony Coca in the sixth inning. Coca hit a no-doubter to left to tie the tally at one run per side.

The Raccoons had a chance in the bottom 6th with Harenberg reaching on a Jamie Richardson error and Hereford lifting a single to shallow left. The dilemma was Nunley; if we could be sure to get Wilson Rodriguez to hit the ball, we could use Nunley to bunt. But Rodriguez was no certain contact. So Nunley swung away and hit right into a double play. Rodriguez *walked*, and then Tovias struck out to strand a pair. Gutierrez was done after seven strong innings, and Butch Gerster hit for him to begin the bottom 7th, singling to center on a 3-1 pitch before taking second base for his 10th steal of the year. Magallanes flew out to right, with Gerster tagging up to head for third. Chris Reardon wouldn’t let him, but threw the ball away past Andy Schmit, allowing Gerster to score and break the 1-1 tie. Tim Stalker tripled after that, but was … stranded. Jamieson grounded out to third base, Harenberg was walked intentionally, and Coca took Hereford’s fly to strand the pair. Ricky Ohl came in for the eighth and put on Schmit and Owen with singles before getting anybody out. With Coca next, the quick Giacobbe Vacarri ran for Schmit as the tying run. Ohl dug in, whiffed Coca, whiffed Delgado, then faced left-handed pinch-hitter Jaiden Jackson, who was hitting .302. We twitched and sent Brotman, a ballsy move given his season-long struggles and 4.06 ERA. A long ball would do the Coons in, probably – but Jackson went down swinging, and the Coons had dodged the bullet there. No insurance came forth, though, and Boles was on his own against the 6-7-8 batters, starting with Tony Fuentes, who singled to left and was bunted over by Tadlock. Joe Cameron popped out to Hereford at 1-2, bringing up a pinch-hitter, switch-poking Brennen Mayeux in his first at-bat of the year. He coaxed a walk. I was getting antsy, but not as antsy as Valdes, who was chewing on the sleeve of my suit. Juan Espinosa pinch-hit for Vacarri, at least a left-hander! Surginer was warming up, too, to face Owen. Espinosa ticked the first pitch into center, the tying run scored, and that was that. Deflated, the Coons went to Surginer, who got a pop from Owen, but the pretty lead that Rico had worked so hard for was gone.

Before long there were extra innings. The 10th saw Tony Coca nailed twice; once by Surginer to put him on base, and then again by Tovias when he tried to scoop second. Bottom 10th, the big boys were up against righty Shane Baker. Harenberg singled to left, and Hereford zinged one up the line for a double, but Harenberg had no chance to score. The winning run was at third base with nobody out, though. Baldwin ran for Harenberg now, just in case… The Crusaders walked Nunley intentionally to create a force at home. The Coons stuck to Wilson Rodriguez, who looked at strike one, then poked at the second pitch. Soft line, hovering over Tadlock at short. Tadlock leapt, in vain, the ball went into center, and Baldwin jogged home as the Critters walked off!! 3-2 Furballs!! Stalker 2-5, 3B; Harenberg 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Hereford 4-5, 3B, 2B; Rodriguez 2-4, BB, RBI; Gerster (PH) 1-1; Gutierrez 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K;

Winneeeeeeeers …!! (dances embarassingly with Nick Valdes, each of them shaking a pair of Coons Hall of Famers’ bobbleheads)

In other news

August 27 – NYC SP Carlos Marron (7-10, 3.15 ERA, 1 SV) is done for the season with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.
August 30 – Boston’s Adam Corder (.226, 3 HR, 38 RBI) would probably miss the rest of the season with an abdominal strain.
August 31 – SFB SP Matt Huf (13-7, 3.36 ERA) might be done for ’29 with elbow tendinitis.
September 1 – Sioux Falls’ SP Pat Okrasinski (18-6, 2.69 ERA) 3-hits the Gold Sox in a 5-0 shutout in Denver.
September 1 – SFB C Eric Carpenter (.226, 5 HR, 18 RBI) drives in six from the #8 hole in a 14-1 mashing of the Falcons.

Complaints and stuff

Kevin Harenberg was Hitter of the Month in the CL, going .366 with 7 HR and 15 RBI. I noticed the power surge, but I didn’t find him overwhelming. Also, the power surge has already ended.

WHAT A RACE, THOUGH.

What does BNN say for playoff chances and strength of schedule?

Indians (75-62) – POR (6), NYC (4), BOS (3), MIL (3), OCT (3), SFB (3), VAN (3) – .498 – 36.9%
Titans (74-62) – VAN (6), MIL (4), POR (4), IND (3), NYC (3), OCT (3), SFB (3) – .491 – 32.3%
Raccoons (74-62) – IND (6), BOS (4), NYC (4), ATL (3), CHA (3), MIL (3), VAN (3) – .491 – 30.3%
Canadiens (70-68) – BOS (6), ATL (3), CHA (3), IND (3), MIL (3), NYC (3), POR (3) – .493 – 0.4%
Crusaders (67-68) – MIL (7), IND (4), POR (4), BOS (3), LVA (3), TIJ (3), VAN (3) – .500 – 0.1%

By keeping Rico and Rich in AAA until the morning of September 1, we gained a few options for the postseason roster, should the opportunity arise. I mean, I want no piece of German Sanchez even when I am dangling off the cliff ledge and only he has a free paw to reach out to me, but it sounded smart in my head, so we did that. Besides, Rico would not have been able to pitch before Saturday anyway.

On Thursday, the Falcons were the first team to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, and also the first team with a losing record, then at 50-82.

Come on, people, who is antsy for a great finish??

Fun Fact: 30 years ago today, the Falcons’ Joe Morton hit for the cycle against the Aces.

That was the highlight of Morton’s career, who was otherwise perfectly bland during his 15-year career, during which he played for six different teams. He was a career .294 batter with 54 HR and 546 RBI that never led the league in anything, never was an All Star, and never won a championship. Even of the five players he was traded for during his career, four never played in the majors, and the fifth, journeyman Paco Batlle, was also more or less perfectly bland except for stumbling into a ring with the 2009 Crusaders.