[Westheim]

Raccoons (64-54) vs. Miners (49-69) – August 19-21, 2064

The Miners were bottoms in the FL East and had lost four in a row. They were 6-10 in August after a 16-10 July (after a 7-20 June). They had the worst rotation in the Federal League, and scored the fourth-fewest runs. They were mediocre to cruddy in most statistics. They had outfielders Kelly Konecny and Randy Hummel on the DL. The Coons had won the last seven series played against the Miners, including 2-1 series wins in each of the last three seasons.

Projected matchups:
Josh Elling (13-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. Cameron Parks (7-12, 4.66 ERA)
Tyler Riddle (11-8, 2.71 ERA) vs. Andres Lopez (8-8, 4.68 ERA)
Chance Fox (9-7, 4.47 ERA) vs. Dave Robinson (4-11, 4.93 ERA)

Cameron Parks was the only RIGHT-hander in the Miners’ rotation – they had four southpaws assembled otherwise.

Game 1
PIT: SS R. Ortiz – 2B Karch – CF McNamee – C N. Dingman – 3B B. Robinson – LF Ma. Gilmore – 1B M. Velazquez – RF L. Morales – P Parks
POR: RF Corral – 3B V. Morales – LF Kozak – 2B Monck – 1B Starr – C Burkart – SS Aoki – CF Maldonado – P Elling

Kozak hit into a double play in the bottom 1st after Corral and Morales got on base, but Rich Monck scratched out an early run with an RBI double to center. He was left on base by Starr, which happened again two innings later after Monck drove home Vic Morales with a 2-out single to right. Morales had doubled down the rightfield line to get on base.

Up 2-0, the Raccoons appeared to run face first into a chainsaw in the fourth inning. Sean Karch opened with a double to left and Elling lost Kevin McNamee on balls before Nick Dingman’s grounder was thrown away by Morales for his 20th error of the year, and to make it three on base with nobody out. Elling got on-the-hill counseling, then struck out Brian Robinson before Matt Gilmore committed the fatal error to ground not to Morales, but Yukio Aoki, who turned an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Elling then went on to strike out five in a row in the fifth and sixth innings before McNamee managed to make contact and pop out to short. In turn, Portland got a third run in the sixth inning, and again Monck was involved, although this time Elmer Maldonado drove him in with a 2-out single.

All was well through seven innings before Elling went into the eighth. Luis Morales hit a single, and then Burkart threw away Parks’ grounder for two bases. Elling plated the runners with a wild pitch and a Robert Ortiz single, then was yoinked. Dover replaced him, walked Karch, but then got two strikeouts while we hurried McGinley to get ready for the left-handed bunch starting with Robinson, who was then pinch-hit for with Braden McCarver, but that right-handed batter flew out to Corral against McGinley to end the inning and keep the Raccoons ahead by a skinny run. McGinley then got two outs in the ninth before blowing the lead on a 2-out homer by the #8 batter Morales… From there, Juan Betancourt, who we tried to trade for in July, but it just wouldn’t come together, sent the game to extras. Ryan Harmer managed to get harmed in the tenth while Betancourt kept going until Rafael Valencia singled his way on and Kozak hit a 1-out double to move Valencia’s winning run to third base for Monck – who was not pitched to with first base open. Starr came up with the bases loaded instead, fell down 0-2, then was gently brushed by a pitch inside that the Miners bitterly complained he had leaned into. The umpire had dinner reservations, though, and their protests were not heard. 4-3 Critters. Morales 2-4, 2B; Valencia (PH) 1-1; Monck 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Aoki 1-2, 2 BB; Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Elling 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K;

The Miners changed pitching assignments for Wednesday and sent Chris Hale (6-1, 2.08 ERA) in there. That swingman was still left-handed, though.

Game 2
PIT: 2B Karch – 3B B. Robinson – C N. Dingman – SS R. Ortiz – CF McNamee – RF L. Morales – 1B Ma. Gilmore – LF Crumble – P Hale
POR: 3B V. Morales – RF Corral – 1B Kozak – 2B Monck – C Burkart – SS Novelo – LF Valencia – CF Tallent – P Riddle

The Coons again went up 1-0 in the first inning, this time thanks to a Corral double, Kozak’s groundout, and then a wild pitch by Hale. Novelo and Valencia doubles produced another run in the fourth inning in an otherwise slowly developing game. The Miners had four hits in the first five innings, never two in one frame, and didn’t get beyond second base against Riddle, who struck out three, but at least didn’t walk anybody. Hale walked Kozak and Monck in the bottom 5th, but the Raccoons couldn’t get a base hit to turn those into runs there.

Riddle lost a bit of cohesion in the following innings and issued a walk each in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Miners still couldn’t gain any traction. Bottom 7th, Matt Maylath was up pitching for the Miners, giving up a leadoff double to Vic Morales. Corral walked, but Kozak whiffed. Monck came through with an RBI single through the left side, extending the lead to 3-0. A walk to Burkart filled the bases, but Novelo popped out and Starr – batting for Valencia – flew out to left, and the Coons left the bases full. Riddle, too, then foundered in the eighth inning; Troy Blake hit a leadoff single from the #9 spot and with two outs Nick Dingman, who had missed a lot of time this year, socked his 19th homer to shorten the score to 3-2 again. The Coons went for Carrillo in a double switch in another bid at a 4-out save, and Robert Ortiz flew out to Corral on the warning track for a tense first one. Carrillo actually got it done, despite a 1-out hit by Danny Guzman in the ninth inning. Gilmore grounded out and Mike Velazquez flew out to Tallent in shallow center to end the game. 3-2 Coons. Monck 2-3, BB, RBI; Riddle 7.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (12-8);

Game 3
PIT: 2B Karch – 3B B. Robinson – C N. Dingman – SS R. Ortiz – CF McNamee – RF L. Morales – 1B M. Velazquez – LF D. Guzman – P An. Lopez
POR: 3B V. Morales – RF Corral – 1B Kozak – 2B Monck – C Arellano – SS Novelo – LF Valencia – CF Tallent – P Fox

No early offense from the Portlanders on Thursday, but the Miners had something going after McNamee was hit with an 0-2 pitch by Fox to begin the second inning. Morales worked a walk, but the bottom of the order choked and went down without much fuss. The game sputtered along, with only one base hit in four innings for the Coons, but the Miners weren’t doing better either until Danny Guzman hit a homer to left in the fifth inning to put the Miners up 1-0. They went to 2-0 in the seventh on pinch-hit knocks by Malik Crumble and Roland Hood, while the Raccoons were still stuck. Fox pitched eight solid, but luckless innings, conceding two runs on four base hits, and was hit for with Aoki to begin the bottom 8th, but the Coons again went in order against reliever Mark Fitzthum. Mike Hall had a scoreless ninth, and Ryan Croft turned the Coons’ 1-2-3 batters away without trouble after that. 2-0 Miners. Fox 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, L (9-8);

Raccoons (66-55) vs. Titans (67-55) – August 22-24, 2064

The Titans swept the Buffos during the week and thus regained first place by half a game, meaning that whoever won this series would lead the division on Sunday night (with Indy and the Loggers too far behind to challenge right now). The Titans brought the #1 offense and the #1 pitching in the league. They had a strong defense, the best rotation by ERA, and hit the most homers, along with the highest OBP in the CL. The Raccoons … had a 7-5 lead in the season series. Ex-Coon Nick Nye had broken his kneecap this week and was out for the season; he was the only DL occupant on the Titans right now.

Projected matchups:
Angel Alba (9-9, 4.28 ERA) vs. Will Glaude (7-10, 4.76 ERA)
Jarod Morris (8-4, 3.09 ERA) vs. Mike Bell (15-5, 2.49 ERA)
Josh Elling (13-5, 3.58 ERA) vs. Jason Brenize (10-5, 1.72 ERA)

Only right-handers lined up for Boston here.

Game 1
BOS: LF S. Humphries – SS J. Watson – C Arviso – CF Marcotte – 1B Joyner – 3B D. Mendoza – RF A. Lee – 2B Spehar – P Glaude
POR: RF Corral – 3B Morales – LF Kozak – 2B Monck – 1B Starr – C Burkart – SS Aoki – CF Maldonado – P Alba

Right away, the Titans were whacking Alba, who gave up doubles to Steve Humphries and Jonathan Watson before nicking Jorge Arviso and walking Eddie Marcotte. Bill Joyner popped out, but Diego Mendoza made it 2-0 with a sac fly before Andy Lee whiffed. Humphries hit another 2-out double in the second inning, but was left alone with that, and Alba then ran up the strikeouts a bit, ringing up six Titans by the end of the fourth inning. Some offensive assistance, maybe? The Coons didn’t look like a whole lot for four innings, however, scattering the odd single without much effect, until Bruce Burkart led off the bottom 5th with a double to left. Aoki singled softly, putting the tying runs on the corners. A strikeout to Maldonado and Alba hitting into a double play took care of the threat, though…

Kozak found another double play to hit into in the sixth, and the Raccoons never scored as long as Alba pitched, which turned out to be six and two thirds. Diego Mendoza got him for a leadoff home run in the seventh, and Ryan Spehar also got on base with another hit before being plated when Steve Humphries strung a 2-out single off Alex Cruzado. Glaude kept the Coons under control, even when Novelo and Corral hit soft 2-out singles in the eighth inning. Morales flew out to Humphries, who didn’t have to move very far for that ball, and that took care of the mild threat. Instead, Ryan Harmer hit Andy Lee in the wrist in the ninth inning, forcing him out of the game in favor of Yoslan Valdez, and then went under for three innings, two earned thanks to an uncaught third strike charged to Burkart. The Coons scored a tired run in the ninth inning that wasn’t gonna get them bloody anywhere… 7-1 Titans. Corral 2-4; Morales 2-4; Aoki 2-4, RBI; Novelo (PH) 1-1;

Oh well. Turns out the #1 pitching staff and a slumbering offense are not a great match. For the slumbering offense.

Game 2
BOS: LF S. Humphries – SS J. Watson – C Arviso – CF Marcotte – 1B Joyner – 3B D. Mendoza – RF A. Lee – 2B Spehar – P M. Bell
POR: RF Corral – 3B Morales – LF Kozak – 2B Monck – 1B Starr – C Burkart – CF Maldonado – SS Novelo – P Morris

Morris allowed a single and a walk in the first, then the same plus a hit batter and with nobody out in the second inning. Right then, the pitcher Bell came up and dropped a ball right in front of the plate that was an easy out at home on Mendoza, but the Coons could not turn two on Humphries’ grounder to third base, and the Titans went up 1-0 on that one before Jonathan Watson popped out to Monck. Eddie Marcotte clobbered his 23rd homer of the season to extend that score to 2-0 in the third inning, but Rich Monck finally answered with a homer of his own one inning later, socking a 2-piece to right to get the teams even again. Morales had singled his way on ahead of him, and both teams only had three hits through four frames.

Morris lasted six innings before being evacuated after 92 pitches. The last four batters he faced, from Marcotte through to Spehar all hit long fly balls, which were all shagged by the outfielders, but he was a go-ahead homer waiting to happen. The Coons instead tried to go ahead in the bottom 6th; Morales hit a triple to right-center with one out, but was thrown out at the plate by Andy Lee on Kozak’s fly to him, which ended the inning. Jesse Dover struck out the side in the top 7th, while Bell allowed a hit to Burkart with two outs in the bottom 7th before being taken over the fence by Elmer Maldonado, 4-2! Novelo and Valencia scratched out singles after that, but Corral’s sharp grounder was speared by Diego Mendoza and the inning ended.

The Titans in the eighth inning got the tying runs to the corners against McDaniel as Marcotte and Joyner threatened the scoreline. But when Dave Blackshire batted for Lee with two gone, the Raccoons sent Carrillo as a counter, and Carrillo prevailed by getting a pop to Kozak in shallow left, which ended the inning. Bell went eight, while the Raccoons tried their luck with McGinley again. The Titans opened with an infield single for Spehar in the ninth inning, which made me immediately reach for the Capt’n Coma, even more so when Humphries then legged out ANOTHER infield single with one out. Sandy Moreno singled home a run, with the tying run going to second base. Arviso struck out, and Marcotte ran a full count before – striking out as well. 4-3 Critters. Morales 3-4, 3B; Valencia (PH) 1-1;

Out of the blue, the Titans then swapped the middle infielder Ryan Spehar (.289, 4 HR, 30 RBI) to the Crusaders in a waiver deal. They got back another middle infielder in Marcos Onelas (.187, 3 HR, 30 RBI) and a catching prospect.

Game 3
BOS: LF S. Humphries – SS J. Watson – C Arviso – CF Marcotte – 1B Joyner – 3B D. Mendoza – RF A. Lee – 2B Onelas – P Brenize
POR: RF Corral – 3B Morales – LF Kozak – 2B Monck – 1B Starr – CF Maldonado – C Arellano – SS Aoki – P Elling

Beating Brenize was hard enough, but Elling going up there and throwing four 3-ball counts in the rubber game, with all four batters either reaching on a hit (Humphries) or a walk (Watson, Marcotte, Mendoza) was not ******* helping with ******* anything. Mendoza’s walk pushed home the game’s first run before Andy Lee flew out to Kozak. Starting with the new arrival Onelas, the Titans then ****** Elling to bits for five singles and two runs in the second inning. Elling sucked so hard, he didn’t make it out of the THIRD inning, getting yanked after Onelas singled again and Humphries drew another ******* walk with two outs. Cruzado replaced him, struck out Jonathan Watson, except that Arellano couldn’t keep clamps on that ******* ball either, and another Titan reached on an uncaught third strike. I marked an L in the pocket schedule, then buried my face in the cushions, even though Arviso struck out to leave the bases loaded. Cruzado then lost two Titans to walks and gave up a 3-run homer to Lee in the fourth inning, by which point the game was pretty much a dead horse.

Rich Monck hit a solo homer to right in the bottom 4th to put the Raccoons on the board with all of two hits and two walks against Brenize, now down 6-1. That was the only run the Raccoons would get against Brenize, who went eight innings comfortably, allowing just four total hits to the Critters. We got seven outs in the worst way from Cruzado, then two innings each from Hall and Harmer, the latter of whom tried to explode the score further as best as he could, but despite being issued four walks by him across two frames, the Titans were content with the half-dozen runs they already had. Tyler Gleason did the rest. 6-1 Titans. Monck 3-4, HR, RBI; Hall 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

In other news

August 18 – Cyclones OF Melvin Avila (.295, 3 HR, 32 RBI) will miss the rest of the year with a concussion.
August 19 – 40-year-old ATL SP Kodai Koga (11-14, 3.54 ERA) throws a 3-hit shutout against the Scorpions for a 3-0 win, the 225th of his career.
August 19 – Indians catcher Alex Gomez (.227, 11 HR, 60 RBI) will be out for the rest of the season after suffering a partial tear in his labrum.
August 19 – CIN SP Edwin Moreno (7-7, 2.97 ERA) beats the Indians, 1-0, while driving in the game’s only run himself with a sac fly.
August 21 – Denver’s INF/LF Willie de Leon (.307, 3 HR, 39 RBI) chips out six hits, including two doubles, but gets no RBI, in a 6-4 loss to the Warriors that stretches 14 innings. Two of de Leon’s hits come in overtime.
August 21 – TIJ SP Brett Bebout (13-5, 2.91 ERA) will miss not only the rest of this year with a torn rotator cuff, but could also miss most of next season.
August 22 – DEN INF Alex Corpus (.257, 2 HR, 18 RBI) hits a walkoff grand slam in the 11th inning to beat the Warriors, 6-2.
August 22 – The Condors beat the Knights, 1-0 in 11 innings.
August 23 – Another walkoff grand slam in extra innings: this time NAS 3B Nick Phillips (.236, 3 HR, 34 RBI) goes the deed in the tenth inning against the Rebels for a 9-5 victory.

FL Player of the Week: SFW OF Alex Barnes (.264, 18 HR, 63 RBI), batting .364 (12-33) with 4 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR INF Rich Monck (.318, 20 HR, 83 RBI), hitting .500 (11-22) with 2 HR, 6 RBI

Complaints and stuff

This was Monck’s fourth Player of the Week award this year, and the sixth since he joined the Coons. He got the nod only once as a Cyclone in three full years and a cup of coffee.

Rich Monck at least tried – but the rest of the team was a trial to watch. Wrong time to face a first-place team. And it wasn’t a great time to have faced a last-place team either. The offense was crap this week, there was no denying that, and the pitching made selective bids to get put out the door again. I don’t feel like our teambuilding exercise here is getting any closer to actually producing a potential ring winner.

Jon McGinley especially is leaking left and right – he’s gonna pitch wearing a diaper if he continues like that!

It’s not getting much easier from here. We will have three games with the Loggers in Milwaukee starting on Monday, then a day off before another 6-game homestand against the Baybirds and Aces. The latter series will already be in September.

Yay, roster expansion! More dimwits to cuss and fume about!

Fun Fact: Rich Monck is leading the batting race in the CL again!

He had dropped away quite a bit, but who else has dropped away is Fidel Carrera, no longer qualifying for the honors after a lengthy DL stint. He is however back on his feet now, and still hitting .331, or 13 points better than Monck. Carrera is currently 27 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the batting race again, which he should easily be able to claw back if he stays healthy from here to the end of the season, even though he is batting more in the middle of the order and not on top for the Loggers.