[Westheim]

Raccoons (43-50) @ Loggers (49-44) – July 16-18, 2058

The Loggers were scoring the third-most runs in the league, but also gave up the fifth-most, good enough for just a +29 run differential and a 5-game deficit to the Crusaders. They had especially trouble with their rotation, which had a 4.52 ERA on aggregate. It was enough to pummel the Critters, though, with a 7-2 edge for Milwaukee so far this year.

Projected matchups:
Bobby Herrera (7-5, 3.10 ERA) vs. Tyler Riddle (7-4, 3.34 ERA)
Zach Stewart (7-8, 2.90 ERA) vs. Adam Foley (9-7, 4.02 ERA)
Ramon Carreno (3-9, 4.61 ERA) vs. Julian Dunn (7-9, 5.76 ERA)

Riddle would be the only left-handed pitcher in *this* set, but the Loggers had not used southpaw Sam Webb (4-9, 5.80 ERA) yet coming out of the All Star break. That being said, we skipped Ramon Carreno, who had not pitched against the Titans in Boston, behind the 1-2 punch here as well, partially to break up the three straight left-handers we had for a moment there with Stewart, Argenziano, and the bloody smear that was left of Chance Fox.

Game 1
POR: 1B Royer – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – 3B Brobeck – C M. Chavez – LF Brassfield – RF Puckeridge – 2B Bribiesca – P B. Herrera
MIL: 3B Gaxiola – CF Valenzano – LF Pigman – 1B D. Robles – RF Bishton – 2B Roseto – C Dye – SS D. Miller – P Riddle

Soft singles by Royer and Caswell, an error by Robby Gaxiola, and Chavez’ sac fly gave the Raccoons a first-inning, single-run lead, because while Trent Brassfield walked to fill the bases again, Pucks made a meek third out, and it didn’t get any better in the third inning, when Pucks whiffed to strand the bags full of Caswell, Brobeck, and Brass, who had reached on another Gaxiola error, a double, and a 2-out walk, respectively.

The fourth inning brought some upheaval; Tyler Riddle left the game with an injury, while Bobby Herrera was unhorsed after three solid innings when Steve Valenzano rolled a single through the left side of the infield to begin the inning, and Perry Pigman walked. The trailing runner, CL leader in stolen bases, partook in a double steal that was not only successful, but also saw Chavez fire the ball well over a leaping Lonzo into centerfield for an error. Valenzano scored for the tie, Pigman scored on Ryan Bishton’s subsequent single for a Loggers lead, and Herrera’s wild pitch to Nick Roseto and a 2-out single by Jonathan Dye made it 3-1 Milwaukee, and all three runs earned on Herrera, too.

That was the only glitch on Herrera’s ledger through six innings. The Coons stranded Brass and Pucks on base in the sixth, while the seventh saw Caswell and Brobeck get on base with one out. Chavez flew out, but the Loggers shed another pitcher there as Roberto Navarro *also* departed from the game with an apparent injury, and his replacement Danny Zepeda gave up a 2-out RBI double to Brassfield, but Pucks croaked for the third time, and first time against a right-hander, with a groundout to Roseto, leaving the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position as the stretch broke over us. While Herrera went seven and Hamann and Bravo somehow pieced a scoreless eighth together despite trying their very best to get the Loggers an insurance run or five, Cas’ 1-out single off Ryan Dow in the ninth inning at least put the tying run on base once again. Brobeck hit a deep fly to center for nevertheless an out to Kelly Konecny, but Dow walked Chavez, moving Caswell up to second base. Brass was unretired in the game – until he struck out here. 3-2 Loggers. Caswell 2-4, BB; Brobeck 2-4, BB, 2B; Brassfield 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, RBI;

The injuries to Riddle and Navarro weren’t major, but in the short term this would hamper the Loggers even more, leaving them short in the pen for at least the rest of this series. They also made the switch to start the aforementioned Sam Webb on Wednesday, so we got a second consecutive left-hander – not that I was so certain that this was to our lineup’s liking right now…

Game 2
POR: 1B Royer – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – 3B Brobeck – C M. Chavez – LF Brassfield – RF Martinez – 2B Bribiesca – P Stewart
MIL: CF Valenzano – 3B Gaxiola – RF Pigman – 1B D. Robles – 2B Roseto – C Mi. Gilmore – LF Bishton – SS D. Miller – P S. Webb

Again the Raccoons went up 1-0 in the first, this time with Cas’ double that drove in Lonzo from first base. Lonzo had been nicked by Webb with a breaking ball. Top 2nd, Brass and Martinez got on base to begin the proceedings. Bribiesca flew out to right, but Stewart dished a double to deep left that scored the lead runner, but not the rather surprised Martinez. Both Martinez and Stewart scored on Steve Royer’s subsequent single to right-center, however, while the Loggers took the third hit in the nether regions when Perry Pigman very audibly hurt himself as he threw the ball towards home plate. He left the game for ex-Coon Mitch Sivertson as the Loggers’ roster rapidly thinned itself out. They were still good to put their first five batters on base in the bottom 2nd against a drowning Stewart, though. Starting with Robles: single, walk, single, single, single, and three runs scored eventually to shorten the score to 4-3, but they also had Roseto thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw by Brassfield. The next couple of innings brought a bit of a breather, but Stewart still completed the blowing of a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning, giving up a leadoff single to Valenzano, who stole his 20th base of the year and scored on two deep fly outs by Gaxiola and Sivertson. All even at four, then.

While Stewart got stuck in the sixth and was relieved by Tanizaki, who retired Danny Miller to strand Mike Gilmore on second base, Sam Webb was only picking up the pace. While Cas and Brobeck reached base in the seventh inning against him, he also struck out three batters, including Chavez for his 10th K of the game and to strand the runners for good. The tie was not broken until the ninth inning, then even with Webb out of the game. Ryan Dow allowed a 1-out walk to Steve Royer, who was then caught stealing just ahead of a Lonzo double to left. Caswell got four wide ones rapidly after that, but the Loggers still stumbled over Brobeck, who singled to right-center and with two outs and himself as the go-ahead run Lonzo would always score on that one. Brass grounded out to end the inning, while the Raccoons brought in Walters for a save and Tyrese Sheilds for D at third base, but Miller still hit a roller past Sheilds for a leadoff single in the bottom 9th. Jonathan Dye grounded out, and then Walters carved up Valenzano and Gaxiola with strikeouts to get the game over with. 5-4 Raccoons. Royer 2-5, 2 RBI; Caswell 4-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Brassfield 2-4;

Perry Pigman (.356, 7 HR, 55 RBI) would be out for a month with a strained rotator cuff, which was certainly offering an opening for Lonzo to shuffle himself in front in the stolen base race again.

Game 3
POR: RF Royer – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – 3B Brobeck – LF Brassfield – 1B Imai – 2B Labonte – C C. Chavez – P Carreno
MIL: 3B Gaxiola – C Dye – 1B D. Robles – 2B Roseto – CF Valenzano – LF Konecny – RF Callaia – SS D. Miller – P Foley

For the third time in the series the Raccoons took a 1-0 lead early on, this time as Royer singled home Labonte from third base with two outs in the second inning. Cortez Chavez tried to also score from second base, but was thrown out at the plate by Valenzano; this was after Royer had opened the first inning with a triple and was then stranded after a cacophony of failure behind him. Another triple was hit in the fourth by the otherwise foundering Labonte, all the way to the base of the wall at the 431’ sign in dead center. What would have been a homer in almost very other park in the league at least scored Toushi from first base for a 2-0 lead, but the battery croaked to leave Labonte stranded at third base.

The Coons had two runs from eight hits through four innings and were waiting for the inevitable collapse of Carreno, but he was pitching nicely (with no strikeouts however), at least until a fifth-inning rain delay that lasted about 30 minutes. Carreno finished the inning afterwards, but Luis Silva took his pulse extra-thoroughly afterwards. Foley also continued to pitch and walked Brass and Toushi to begin the sixth, but then the 7-8-9 batters fell off a cliff again and no runs were added. When Carreno offered two walks himself in the bottom 6th he was yanked right away; Eloy Sencion found a way out of the inning while preserving the 2-0 lead, but then walked Callaia to begin the bottom 7th and allowed a single to right to Miller that Royer overran for an error and suddenly the tying runs were in scoring position. Foley hit a sac fly to center, 2-1, while once Tanizaki gook over Corey Garmon pinch-hit for Gaxiola and got the tying run home on a ******* suicide squeeze. Bottom 8th, Valenzano drew a 1-out walk, and Hamann replaced Tanizaki at that point, but gave up a single to PH Mike Gilmore, an RBI double to Callaia, a sac fly to Miller, and another RBI single to Bishton. 5-2 Loggers. Royer 2-4, 2B, RBI; Labonte 2-4, 3B, RBI;

(stares)

Raccoons (44-52) @ Thunder (51-43) – July 19-21, 2058

The Thunder were back atop the CL South and salivating at the chance to make an CLCS without getting bopped by the Raccoons. They were ahead in the season series, too, 2-1, but actually ranked only fifth each in runs scored and runs allowed with a modestly meager +12 run differential. They probably still had work to do at the deadline if they actually wanted to make the playoffs. They also had Thomas Turpeau and Eric Whitlow to replace, both of whom were on the DL.

Projected matchups:
Cameron Argenziano (5-0, 2.09 ERA) vs. Aaron Harris (10-5, 2.92 ERA)
Chance Fox (1-4, 7.22 ERA) vs. Tan Brink (8-8, 5.74 ERA)
Bobby Herrera (7-6, 3.14 ERA) vs. Juan Juarez (6-6, 3.93 ERA)

These three Thunder starters were all right-handers, but they had been rained out on Thursday and had the chance to skip southpaw Jorge Quinones (6-2, 4.43 ERA) into the series.

Game 1
POR: RF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – LF Brassfield – C M. Chavez – 3B Brobeck – 1B Imai – 2B Labonte – P Argenziano
OCT: RF J. Mendoza – 3B Soberanes – C Burnham – 1B F. Martinez – 2B C. Jimenez – SS Lira – LF Weant – CF D. Guzman – P Aa. Harris

A Caswell single and Brassfield’s 2-out RBI triple gave the Coons a quick 1-0 lead again, although this game after Pucks reached on an error by Chris Jimenez, was forced out by Lonzo, and Lonzo was then caught stealing. Argenziano however began to regress to his grim mean with a plunked Jose Mendoza to begin the bottom 1st, a walk to veteran Ed Soberanes, and singles by Felix Martinez and Jimenez that flipped the score to 2-1 Thunder before long. Jimenez, Omar Lira, and Tim Weant would hit a string of 2-out singles for an extra run in the third inning, after which Danny Guzman flew out to Caswell to strand a pair. Argenziano’s pitching left much to be desired on this Friday, and the Thunder spanked him for nine hits in total over six innings, but couldn’t get any more runs off him. Harris also spanked him with a fastball in the fifth inning, right into the furry tush, but paid for it with a rally run when he threw a wild pitch and gave up an RBI single to Pucks, narrowing the score to 3-2.

The score seemed frozen there, especially with the Raccoons doing nothing much of anything against Harris anymore, the Thunder righty giving up five hits through eight innings. The Raccoons had a scoreless seventh from Bravo, then brought Hamann for the bottom 8th, which ended with two walks for two outs. Siwik replaced him, walked Mike Harmon, gave up an RBI single to Cesar Santiago, and then was taken deep by Ed Soberanes for a grand slam. 8-2 Thunder.

Game 2
POR: 1B Royer – RF Puckeridge – CF Caswell – LF Brassfield – C M. Chavez – 3B Brobeck – 2B Labonte – 3B Sheilds – P Fox
OCT: RF J. Mendoza – 3B Soberanes – C Burnham – 1B F. Martinez – 2B C. Jimenez – LF Weant – SS McNeal – CF D. Guzman – P J. Juarez

Although Fox walked a Thunder batter in each of the first three innings and didn’t strike out a position player when Cristiano “Sir Knows-It-All” Carmona always waffled that he struck out plenty and would turn things around with that soon, the Raccoons still scored first despite not getting much of anything against Juarez through those three innings. Pucks homered to begin the fourth, 1-0, and Cas, Chavez, and Brobeck then found a way to load the bases with singles. Drowning hard, Paul Labonte at least managed a sac fly, but Sheilds whiffed to end the inning.

Fox’ middle innings suddenly saw him turn things around with four strikeouts to position players, no walks, and just an infield single hit by Jose Mendoza, keeping the Thunder shut out in the 2-0 game. Guzman popped out to begin the seventh, but that was as good as it got. PH Omar Lira singled, and then Mendoza banged a ball off the fence for an RBI triple. The Coons pulled the plug, two batters too late, then found out that the bag with their emergency parachute – Reynaldo Bravo – contained nothing but bowling balls. Soberanes singled home the tying run, and Luke Burnham hit a home run to right in a full count, and the Raccoons were dealt with for another day. 4-2 Thunder. Caswell 2-4; Brobeck 2-4;

That night, I rented a car and drove up to Kansas, just to have a drink. **** Oklahoma. **** dry states.

HOW CAN YOU STAY DRY WITH THIS ******* TEAM???

Game 3
POR: 1B Royer – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – 3B Brobeck – C M. Chavez – LF Brassfield – RF J. Martinez – 2B Bribiesca – P B. Herrera
OCT: SS Lira – 3B Soberanes – CF D. Guzman – RF M. Harmon – 1B C. Santiago – LF Weant – 2B F. Martinez – C Burnham – P Quinones

The Coons took their habitual 1-0 lead in the first inning, unearned with Royer reaching on an error, stealing a base, and eventually scoring on Brobeck’s groundout, then looked for ways to get obliterated. Tim Weant nearly went deep in the bottom 2nd, but Tipsy Bobby actually retired the Thunder in order the first time through – but with no strikeouts.

Portland took a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Quinones nicked Caswell and was taken deep by Brobeck in retaliation, and that wasn’t all for the inning. Chavez singled on a 1-2 pitch, but Brass popped out. A wild pitch advanced Chavez, while Martinez grounded to short. Lira’s throw was well past Cesar Santiago and into the first base dugout for a run to score and Martinez to get put on second base, while Quinones, when the dust settled, still stood around the infield hunched over and with his paws on his knees until he was collected by the Thunder trainer. Noah Hollis replaced him, threw a wild pitch to move Martinez to third base, fanned Bribiesca in a full count, but then gave up a 2-out run when he conceded a single to center to Bobby Herrera – which marked Herrera’s first RBI in the league. Herrera would be stopped at 11 straight retirements when Guzman hit a double into the gap in right-center, but he was stranded when Harmon popped out.

Top 5th, Caswell singled, stole second, and scored on a Brobeck double to center, 6-0. Chavez singled, Brass hit a sac fly, and that was it for Hollis, replaced by Garrett Giustino. The Thunder’s fifth began with a Santiago double to center. Tim Weant popped out, but Felix Martinez walked. He also got doubled off first base when Burnham lined out to Steve Royer, 3-U to end the inning. Lonzo singled home Bribiesca with a 2-out run in the sixth inning, but the Thunder finally broke through against the still strikeout-less Herrera in the bottom 6th. Jose Mendoza socked a leadoff triple, Omar Lira doubled, and Soberanes singled. Guzman’s sac fly narrowed the score to 8-2 before a mound conference appeared to at least calm Herrera down a little. Ironically, his pitch count was GREAT for once, but he was now getting blasted…! He got out of the inning, but STILL no strikeouts. He grounded out in the top 7th after Jeff Boyce had loaded the bases, stranding absolutely everybody, then gave up another triple to Felix Martinez, who scored on Burnham’s sac fly, 8-3. Herrera was yanked after a 1-out walk to Guzman in the eighth, with Sencion getting out of there, and him and Siwik held the Thunder away in the bottom of the ninth. 8-3 Raccoons. Lavorano 3-5, RBI; Brobeck 2-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; M. Chavez 2-4; Labonte (PH) 1-1, 2B;

In other news

July 16 – The Capitals acquire SP Ernie Gomes (6-7, 4.89 ERA) from the Canadiens, who receive two prospects.
July 16 – Also gone from the Canadiens is catcher Casey Burgio (.294, 4 HR, 28 RBI), who is picked up by the Aces in a trade for MR Jim Woods (5-1, 4.03 ERA, 1 SV) and another prospect.
July 17 – The Gold Sox beat the Wolves, 1-0, on a home run by DEN 1B Bill Joyner (.325, 17 HR, 77 RBI).
July 18 – The Bayhawks trade OF/2B/3B Jeremy Lindauer (.298, 1 HR, 18 RBI) to the Miners for two prospects.
July 20 – LVA SP Marcus Wilkins (4-8, 5.16 ERA) will miss the rest of the season, felled by shoulder inflammation.

FL Player of the Week: DAL C/1B Jason Bothe (.288, 8 HR, 31 RBI), hitting .500 (10-20) with 2 HR, 4 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN 1B John Rosenstiel (.252, 6 HR, 36 RBI), batting .500 (10-20) with 3 HR, 9 RBI

Complaints and stuff

We don’t appear to have much to trade at the deadline. Various players have already been dangled on the shopping (chopping?) block, but the return offers were largely disappointing. While the Elks are shedding players left and right, we might not actually make a trade at the deadline.

Monday is another day off, but then we begin 17 straight games with a 6-game homestand against the Knights and Condors. The final series of the month will be a 3-game set with the Bayhawks in San Francisco, ending on Deadline Day.

Fun Fact: The Raccoons will not win the season series against the Loggers for the fifth straight year, but that’s not remotely close to the record.

The Raccoons didn’t win the season series against the Loggers for the entirety of the Decade of Darkness from 1997 to 2006. Two 9-9 ties in that period, but it was mostly 7-11 and 6-12 years. That 1997-2006 Loggers run ended with a 13-5 Coons comeback in 2007, while 1996’s 10-8 win only narrowly kept the Loggers’ string of dominance there to 10 years. The previous winning Raccoons season in that set was in 1993, an 11-7 year.

Well, our darkness coincided with the first really strong stint that the Loggers enjoyed, so it’s not a huge surprise: we didn’t post a winning record once in that span, while the Loggers took until 1994 to post a winning record at all, but then right away won the North with a modest 85-77 mark and that kicked off ten straight winning seasons for them, with a total of two division titles (but no rings), and seven second-place finishes, mostly to the Titans. They went 81-81 in 2004 and then hit their own valley of wailing for a decade after that, not reaching 82-80 again until 2015, at which point both teams were gearing up for a late-2010s bit for the division. The Coons won the division every year from 2017 to 2019 (but always lost in the CLCS), but the Loggers beat the Coons to it in a second tie-breaker in 2020 (thanks, Nick Lester) before winning the division outright in ’21 – when they finally won their first championship.

More recently, the Loggers didn’t lose a season series to the Raccoons from 2039 to 2043, including one tie in ’43, and took their second and most recent championship in 2041.