Raccoons (29-20) vs. Falcons (26-24) – June 2-4, 2064
The Falcons had taken two out of three games from the Raccoons earlier in the season and now arrived with a 5-game winning streak. They were sixth in runs scored and second in runs allowed, with a +19 run differential. The rotation had a better ERA than the bullpen, they led the CL in stolen bases, but they were third from the bottom in home runs.
Projected matchups:
Jarod Morris (2-2, 3.32 ERA) vs. Levi Harre (3-3, 3.07 ERA)
Angel Alba (4-3, 3.24 ERA) vs. John Marshell (3-1, 3.15 ERA)
Tyler Riddle (6-4, 2.71 ERA) vs. Ivan Rodriguez (3-5, 4.55 ERA)
Hey look, a left-hander (Marshell)! Sh-sh, no no. Don’t make a noise. Don’t scare him or he’ll fly away…!
Game 1
CHA: SS Schmidt – CF Geiger – LF Nakamura – 1B Washington – RF Padgett – C Ayon – 2B Duhe – 3B Fountain – P Harre
POR: RF Corral – LF Kozak – 3B Morales – 2B Monck – C Burkart – 1B Starr – CF Oley – SS Novelo – P Morris
Six consecutive Raccoons from Morales to Novelo would not put the ball in play the first time through. Three struck out, two were hit by pitches offered by Levi Harre, and Bruce Burkart drew an innocent little walk; and Jarod Morris grounded out to John Schmidt to leave the bases loaded. At least Morris didn’t have music played on his face by the other team immediately and in fact lined up zeroes, while scattering singles. It didn’t get dicey for him until the fifth inning, when Danny Ayon (who was forced out by Jared Duhe) and Elijah Fountain both hit singles and were bunted into scoring position by Harre with two outs, but John Schmidt then grounded out to Monck. The Coons had only two hits at that point, and as many double plays hit into, but then took the lead on a Kozak homer to left in the bottom 5th, 1-0. The Falcons then made three first-pitch outs with Dan Geiger, Natsu Nakamura, and Joe Washington in the sixth inning, while the Raccoons bemoaned a long fly to left by Monck that was caught for an out, but then Burkart singled and scored on a long gap double by Joel Starr, who was left on by the bottom of the order. Another scoring opportunity developed with Corral drawing a leadoff walk and Kozak doubling to knock out Harre in the bottom 7th. Sam Turner replaced Harre, inheriting the pair in scoring position, struck out Morales, walked Monck intentionally, but then gave up Harre’s runners on a 2-run double to left smacked by Burkart. Starr got another intentional walk, and Oley got on base when Joe Washington bungled his grounder for a run-scoring error. Novelo struck out, but Morris singled in two with a ball through the right side, the final markers in a 5-run outburst. That wasn’t all of the Jarod Morris show; he retired the Falcons in order in the eighth and then entered the ninth with a leadoff walk to Nakamura, who was however quickly doubled up by Washington. Cody Padgett popped out to Joel Starr, and that was a shutout…! 7-0 Furballs! Kozak 2-4, BB, HR, 2B, RBI; Burkart 3-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Starr 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI; Morris 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, W (3-2) and 1-4, 2 RBI;
That was the first career shutout in 96 starts for Jarod Morris!
What a ******* box of chocolates that guy was…
Game 2
CHA: SS Schmidt – CF Geiger – LF Nakamura – 1B Washington – RF Padgett – C Ayon – 2B Duhe – 3B Fountain – P Marshell
POR: 3B Morales – SS Novelo – CF Kozak – 2B Monck – C Arellano – 1B Starr – LF Valencia – RF Tallent – P Alba
The Falcons unpacked a 5-spot (two earned) of their own in the second inning. After Alba struck out three around a Nakamura single in the first inning, the second didn’t go so well. Cody Padgett singled, Ayon hit an infield single, and Duhe’s comebacker was taken to Novelo by Alba, but Novelo dropped it and the Coons got no outs, instead having the bases loaded now. Alba struck out Elijah Fountain, but then gave up a bases-clearing double to the opposing pitcher, at which point the prosecution could just as well rest. Geiger socked a 2-out, 2-run homer to cap off the inning. Duhe would hit another 3-run homer, all earned, against Alba in the third inning, and that was that for the Coons’ starter on Tuesday.
Long relief by Mike Hall went just as smoothly as he soon gave up another solo homer to Geiger in the fourth, at which point we were down 9-0. The Coons didn’t have a ******* base hit until Monck bounced a single in the bottom of the fourth, and Tallent hit a solo homer off Marshell in the fifth. That was already the second-to-last base hit for the Critters in this abortion of a game. Hall and Barton both pitched two innings of garbage relief, and Dover and McDaniel added singleton innings at the end, McDaniel managing to give up another run, but emotionally we were beyond counting by then. 10-1 Falcons. Tallent 1-2, BB, HR, RBI; Barton 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K;
All the starters seem to be consistently inconsistent now… except for Foxie Brown, who gets consistently on the snout.
Game 3
CHA: LF Nakamura – RF Padgett – C O. Matos – 2B Duhe – 3B Healey – 1B Washington – SS T. Taylor – CF Fountain – P I. Rodriguez
POR: RF Corral – LF Kozak – 3B Morales – 2B Monck – C Burkart – 1B Starr – CF Oley – SS Novelo – P Riddle
Nakamura doubled and scored on a Duhe single with two outs in the first inning, so the Raccoons started the rubber game already trailing again. However, Morales and Monck hit first-inning singles with two outs, advanced on a wild pitch, and after a “fine, take it” walk to Burkart, Joel Starr singled in a pair and flipped the score with a low zipper past a diving Duhe. Rodriguez then walked Oley and gave up another RBI single to Novelo before Riddle grounded out to leave three on.
Both teams found a double play to hit into in the second inning; for the Coons it came off Monck’s stick, and Monck then also made an error to put Nakamura on base against Riddle in the third inning. Worse, with two outs another error by Morales also added Oscar Matos, and they were now doubly-unearned on the corners, with the little pest Duhe batting. The count ran full before Duhe hit a looper to shallow left, but Kozak rushed in and snatched it knee-high to end the inning. He even held on to it, all the way to the infield! Bottom 3rd, the Coons hit into another double play, 3-U, when Novelo lined out to Washington with Starr on second, Oley at first, and Oley specially not anywhere near first when Washington caught that liner and tapped the bag. This ended the inning.
Top 4th, and Riddle, the dumb ****, would allow leadoff singles to Rick Healey and Joe Washington, which was one thing, but then balked them on, walked Trent Taylor, got Fountain with a comebacker for a force out at home, and then gave up another ******* bases-clearing double to the ******* opposing pitcher.
The Falcons were still up 4-3 when Riddle was disposed of for a pinch-hitter in the bottom 6th, which came along with Rodriguez’ departure after drilling Novelo to begin the inning. Elmer Maldonado would have batted for Rodriguez, but with lefty Jason Stine coming in, the Raccoons sent Rafael Valencia instead. He grounded out, with the tying run going to second, but Corral popped out on the infield. Thankfully Kozak was still around and struck a game-tying double to center, evening the score at four. Morales’ groundout to third base kept it that way through six.
It didn’t stay tied at four for long. Carrillo got the ball for the seventh, got John Schmidt on a groundout in the #1 spot, and then gave up a double to Padgett, an RBI single to Matos and another single to Duhe before being yanked for McDaniel, who allowed an RBI single to Healey, walked Adan Yniguez, and then was shanked without having retired ******* anybody. Dover then oversaw the rest of the meltdown; he allowed an RBI single to Taylor, walked in a run against Fountain, and conceded another run on a pinch-hit groundout by Geiger. Schmidt drew another walk before Padgett left three aboard with a fly to Corral. Hey, look, another 5-run inning! (opens bottle of Capt’n Coma) The game then swamped along, with Kurihara and McGinley picking up the bits and pieces left over, and the Falcons still led 9-4 entering the bottom 9th, which began with Morales and Monck singles off Manny Gutierrez. Burkart then raked a 2-run triple, and suddenly this was a save situation that went to a different righty, Brendan Rodgers. He walked Starr, bringing up Oley as the tying run, who hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice to Schmidt. Another walk put Novelo on base, but Maldonado popped out. Corral drew a 2-out walk, filling the bags for … uh… McGinley? Ya. Maldonado had earlier pinch-hit (for a single) and then stayed in the ostensibly lost game over Kozak. Gee, what a move! At this point the choice was really between Arellano, Aoki, and Tallent. We went with the randy talent, who took one off his elbow to force in another run, 9-8. And then Morales grounded out. 9-8 Falcons. Kozak 2-5, 2B, RBI; Morales 2-6; Monck 3-5, 2B; Burkart 2-3, 2 BB, 3B, 2 RBI; Maldonado (PH) 1-2;
(sour look)
Raccoons (30-22) vs. Crusaders (22-29) – June 6-8, 2064
After a day off to lick wounds, the Raccoons hosted the oddly uncompetitive Crusaders for a 3-game set. We were so far up 3-2 in the season series, and hoped to stay afloat against the league’s worst offense, but they were also allowing only the second-fewest runs and had a relatively modest -14 run differential.
Projected matchups:
Josh Elling (7-1, 2.97 ERA) vs. Ben Seiter (5-4, 2.69 ERA)
Chance Fox (2-5, 5.70 ERA) vs. Jeff Kozloski (4-4, 4.26 ERA)
Jarod Morris (3-2, 2.72 ERA) vs. Ryan Musgrave (3-6, 3.97 ERA)
Only right-handers coming up here. The only notable injury to the Crusaders was outfielder Jon Alade, nursing a sprained 39-year-old elbow.
Game 1
NYC: CF Box – 3B V. Velez – C M. Nieto – SS O. Sanchez – LF Cline – 1B C. Boyd – RF Zeiher – 2B Jes. Alvarez – P Seiter
POR: RF Corral – LF Kozak – 3B Morales – 2B Monck – C Burkart – 1B Starr – CF Maldonado – SS Novelo – P Elling
Another day, another hole to sit in, as Elling walked Omar Sanchez to lead off the second inning, gave up a single to Jake Cline that Kozak then botched for extra bases, but after a K to Casey Boyd and a walk to Sean Zeiher (hitting under .190!), the bases were full anyway. Jesus Alvarez singled home a run, and a wild pitch scored another before Elling failed his way out of the inning with a K to Seiter and a groundout to Monck from Bryant Box. Another BB then did anything but BB, as Bruce Burkart homered to left in the bottom 2nd to cut the gap to 2-1. The third was calm, but the Crusaders threatened with another pair of singles in the fourth. Elling, who drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 3rd before being doubled off by Corral, also struck out six New Yorkers in four innings, while Morales drew another leadoff walk in the Coons’ half of the fourth. Monck singled, and Burkart hit another long fly, but this was caught by Box in center. Morales jiggled to third base though with the tying run, from where he scored on Starr’s grounder to Jesus Alvarez, which was also botched for an error, so the Raccoons had a pair on base still, but Maldonado and Novelo only made meek outs and the game remained tied.
Elling then was on base again with a leadoff single in the bottom 5th, but was forced out by Corral, who really didn’t have his most helpful day. Seiter then uncharacteristically walked the bags full, bringing up Monck with the sacks packed. He challenged him – and was beaten for about 420 feet worth of a GRAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMM!!!!!! Tee-hee!!
Seiter was gone with that, but Elling only made it through six innings either, allowing another run in the process with Omar Sanchez doubling, stealing third, and scoring on a sac fly for a 6-3 score. Carrillo had a scoreless seventh in a bid to recover brownie points (and access to the brownie jar) before Morales singled in the bottom of the inning and Rich Monck raked another homer off Curt Rosato to tack on a pair of runs! That turned out to be enough of a cushion to go to bed and survive pitching from Kurihara and Hall, the latter allowing an unearned run in the ninth inning, although Starr and Valencia also dared to chip in errors there… 8-4 Raccoons. Morales 1-2, 2 BB; Monck 3-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI; Burkart 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Maldonado 2-4, 2B;
Extra brownies for Rich Monck!!
He had a whole day to eat them on Saturday, because the weather turned out ***** and no game was being played that day. We had a double header scheduled for Sunday.
Given that this put Fox and the volatile Morris on the same day, the Raccoons made preparations and flew in two extra arms from AAA to be on standby. One was John Nesbitt, and the other was left-hander Sandy Pineda, who was making the transition from reasonably big prospect to failed starter at this point and had a 4.66 ERA in 58 innings this year, but could probably absorb a few blows in a rout if needed. He was not on the 40-man roster. The Raccoons had gotten him along with Applecore and the outfielder Kyle Pisciotti in the Tipsy Bobby / Nick Robinson / Angel Perez trade to the Caps two years ago.
The Crusaders switched their starters around, sending Musgrave first, but the Coons – against usual procedure – stuck with Fox as the wonkier candidate since regrettably Foxie was so horrible this year that another beating might send him to AAA and open a roster spot for a garbage reliever anyway.
Game 2
NYC: CF Box – LF A. Romero – 2B Onelas – SS O. Sanchez – 1B Cline – C B. Duncan – 3B V. Velez – RF Jes. Alvarez – P Musgrave
POR: RF Corral – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – 2B Monck – C Arellano – CF Maldonado – SS Aoki – LF Tallent – P Fox
Marcos Onelas singled off Fox in the first, but he struck out two and nothing bad happened. Corral opened with a single for the Raccoons, Starr walked, and a wild pitch put a pair in scoring position for Rich Monck to drive home with a double to right that bounced fair by mere inches before getting to the corner. Byron Duncan singled for New York in the second, but the Raccoons were the team that scored again, with a Tallent single and stolen base and then Corral’s 2-out RBI single.
Fox was fine until the fourth when the Crusaders stopped being content with one runner per inning and instead Onelas led off with a double, Sanchez singled, Cline’s grounder scored a run, and Vic Velez’ double scored another with two outs. Alvarez hit an infield single before Musgrave went down fanning in a 3-2 game. A 2-out double by Onelas and Sanchez’ RBI single then tied the score in the fifth, and that was nine hits off Fox’ pelt. Fox went six innings without a single 1-2-3 in it before being chased by a 45-minute rain delay that didn’t bode well for getting in two full games on the day. Both starters were in fact out after that, with Musgrave departing in the middle of the bottom 6th with Maldonado on base. Pedro Mendoza then walked the bags full with Tallent, Kozak, and two outs, before Pablo Novelo batted for a 3-for-3 Corral against the left-hander. The ploy worked, Novelo striped a 2-run single past a diving Sanchez, and the Raccoons took a new 5-3 lead. Morales added an RBI single, and the Crusaders added a new pitcher to the box score when Rafael Mendoza replaced Pedro Mendoza. Starr’s grounder to Sanchez was bungled for an error, presenting Monck with the bases loaded, which was not a great idea right now. Mendoza got him to 0-2, then got one in Monck’s wheelhouse, and – BAM!! – GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMM!!!!
TWO IN A WEEK!!!
That was also the last action in the game for Monck, who departed in a bit of a shuffle that saw no fewer than five defensive positions recast for the seventh inning in a bid to get more than three outs from Mike Hall. We got in fact six outs from him before he was hit for in the #4 spot in the eighth inning. This was after Kozak singled home Maldonado for a tack-on run in the seventh, but the Coons went in order in the eighth, and New York had no rally left. 11-3 Furballs! Corral 3-3, RBI; Novelo (PH) 1-2, 2 RBI; Monck 3-4, HR, 2B, 6 RBI; Kozak (PH) 1-1, BB, RBI; Hall 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;
Don’t touch Rich Monck – you will get third-degree burns.
No roster moves were made between the games and Chance Fox would not be banished to AAA as a nearly 30-year-old bad example for others… this week.
Game 3
NYC: CF Box – LF A. Romero – C M. Nieto – SS O. Sanchez – 1B C. Boyd – 3B V. Velez – LF Zeiher – 2B Jes. Alvarez – P Kozloski
POR: RF Corral – 1B Kozak – 3B Morales – 2B Monck – C Burkart – CF Oley – SS Novelo – LF Valencia – P Morris
Monck stole a base in the second inning, but was left on, which was sort of criminal by the rest of the team, and instead the Crusaders put three runs on Morris in the third inning. Jesus Alvarez singled and was caught stealing before Kozloski singled, Box singled, Marco Nieto walked, and then with two outs Sanchez drew a bases-loaded walk on nine pitches before Corey Boyd doubled home two with Sanchez thrown out at the plate to end the inning. At least Morris also got on base with a leadoff walk offered by Kozloski. Corral singled and Kozak hit an RBI double to get Portland on the board, 3-1 with the tying runs in scoring position and nobody out. Just get Monck up, somehow! Morales could not contain himself and plated a run with a groundout, but then Kozloski actually struck out Monck (stunned expression) and Burkart to get out of the inning.
Morris lasted just five innings, throwing 101 pitches to make it that far, after which Barton collected five outs, but also got hopelessly stuck in the seventh, allowing a run and packing the bases with Crusaders and two down. Dover replaced him (along with Tallent for Morales) in a double switch), struck out PH Jake Cline in Velez’ spot, and that at least ended the inning with the score a manageable 4-2 (but 10-3 in hits). The Coons had the tying runs in scoring position again in the bottom 7th, but only with two outs and in unearned fashion; after Valencia legged out an infield single, Tallent reached on a 2-base throwing error by Sanchez. Corral whiffed, though, and that was the inning. Jesus Alvarez was on base for New York against Dover in the eighth, but was caught stealing.
Rich Monck then crushed another homer in the bottom 8th – but it was a solo job and left the Coons still trailing by a run. Burkart then doubled, but went into second with too much momentum, couldn’t hold on to the base, and was tagged out behind it. McDaniel held the Crusaders away from tacking on in the ninth, while the Crusaders put up Rhodes against the formidable … uh… Oley, Novelo, and Valencia? After two groundouts, Aoki batted for Valencia, struck out, and that ended the fun for the day. 4-3 Crusaders.
In other news
June 2 – Vegas infielder Cesar Pena (.288, 1 HR, 20 RBI) will be out for six weeks after suffering a strained hamstring.
June 3 – The Bayhawks score in every inning but one in a 14-6 takedown of the Indians.
June 3 – The Cyclones beat the Warriors, 4-3 in 14 innings. The score goes to 3-3 by the third inning before both teams line up ten consecutive zeroes.
June 4 – SFB RF/LF Juan Paez (.302, 2 HR, 18 RBI) is expected to be out for a month to recover from a herniated disc.
June 5 – The Titans fire off consecutive 7-run innings in a 17-2 obliteration of the Knights. Despite this, nobody on the blue time drives in more runs than 1B Bill Joyner (.317, 7 HR, 30 RBI), who plates four runners.
June 6 – Denver ekes out L.A., 3-2 in 15 innings. The Gold Sox score two in the first inning and then take 14 frames to score another run.
FL Player of the Week: TOP 3B/SS Alex de los Santos (.329, 6 HR, 40 RBI), hitting .478 (11-23) with 2 HR, 9 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR INF Rich Monck (.368, 11 HR, 44 RBI), attacking for a .478 (11-23) clip with 4 HR, 13 RBI
Complaints and stuff
Rich Monck was ridonkulous in the Crusaders series, going 7-for-12 with four homers and 13 RBI. He drove in *nobody* against the Falcons (but went 4-for-11). He got a walk, stole a base, and struck out but once (on Sunday in a bad spot) this week. Monck leads the CL in batting average and slugging now, is just behind Fidel Carrera for OPS, and is t-3rd in homers, two behind Carrera and one behind Eddie Marcotte, who we’ll see up close and personal next week.
Friday’s win over the Crusaders was the 7,400th regular season W for the Raccoons in franchise history.
I think we need pitching help. A centerfielder that can hit something also wouldn’t be so bad.
The Raccoons now head for a crucial 4-game series in Boston and then we’ll be back home for a set with the Wolves, only to right away embark for Cincinnati afterwards. These schedulers!
Fun Fact: 54 years ago today, New York’s Gabriel Ortiz hit three homers to take down the Raccoons.
And he’s not the only Crusader from that era to hit three homers on a June 8, the other being Martin Ortiz, doing the deed against the Elks in 2015.
The important thing about Ortiz’ three homers in 2010 is however that in *that* season the Raccoons at least came out on top in the end, after years of trying and after “Keith Ayers out at home” became a thing.