[Westheim]

Raccoons (13-12) @ Loggers (9-15) – May 3-6, 2066

The Loggers were colder than a body that had been dead for two weeks, entering this four-game series on a 7-game losing streak. They were third in runs scored in the CL with almost five runs per game and yet managed to give up almost a full run more themselves, easily the most runs allowed in the league. Both their starters and relievers had ERA’s over five as groups. To add injury to insult, they were without Fidel Carrera and Dave Wright for this series, and starter Nick Waldron was probably out for the year. The Loggers had won 12 of 18 games against the Coons last year.

Projected matchups:
Shoma Nakayama (1-3, 2.91 ERA) vs. Girolamo Pizzichini (0-2, 8.61 ERA)
Chance Fox (1-2, 3.23 ERA) vs. Ignazio Flores (2-1, 1.32 ERA)
Nick Walla (3-1, 1.59 ERA) vs. Oliver Graham (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Duarte Damasceno (2-2, 5.02 ERA) vs. Luis Palacios (1-1, 4.99 ERA)

Right, left, right left coming up. Palacios had the second-best ERA in that rotation.

Game 1
POR: CF Wilson – LF Spicer – RF Tallent – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – SS Novelo – C Arellano – 2B Gutierrez – P Nakayama
MIL: LF Franks – CF Merrill – 1B C. Ramirez – RF C. Dominguez – 2B Goss – SS Reber – C Guitreau – 3B Murcia – P Pizzichini

While the Loggers stacked up five capable left-handed batters at the top of their lineup against Nakayama, they struggled to put him under pressure, and if anything it was the four right-handed batters at the bottom of the lineup that got three of the Loggers’ four hits through five innings against him that were causing most of the trouble. They didn’t score, and in fact, nobody scored an earned run through five; the Raccoons did take a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Arellano reached on a 2-base throwing error by Tim Goss and was then singled around to score by Carlos Gutierrez. That was it until the sixth when Monck singled and was doubled home by Novelo to make it 2-0. In between the Coons had hit into double plays in consecutive innings to make sure that lead wouldn’t get outta paw. Nakayama was still clicking through seven, while the Loggers were getting long relief from Jose Soto after “Pizza” Pizzichini allowed that second run. He walked Starr with two outs in the eighth before allowing straight soft singles to Novelo and Arellano to fill the bases, and then had to watch Rafael Murcia fail to play a Gutierrez roller with the necessary vigor to get the third out at any base. Instead the Coons scored their third run on the infield single. At that point we left Nakayama in to bat for himself, and he grounded out to short. He got two more outs in the bottom 8th before a Jonathan Merrill single and a walk to Cesar Ramirez knocked him out. Garvey got young Carlos Dominguez to ground out to Starr to end the inning, then continued in the ninth inning to finish out the game even when Tommy Guitreau singled with two outs. 3-0 Raccoons. Wilson 3-5, 3B; Novelo 3-4, 2B, RBI; Gutierrez 2-4, 2 RBI; Nakayama 7.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, W (2-3) and 1-4; Garvey 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, SV (3);

Jaden Wilson, who finally reached the .200 mark again with the stick on Monday, got Tuesday off against the timely left-handed hurler.

Game 2
POR: SS Novelo – RF Tallent – C Lopez – 3B Monck – CF Branch – 1B Starr – 2B Caballero – LF Spicer – P Fox
MIL: SS Reber – 2B Gilliam – LF C. Ramirez – 1B D. Robles – RF C. Dominguez – C Guitreau – CF Franks – 3B Willoughby – P I. Flores

Kyle Reber punked Chance Fox for a leadoff jack in the bottom 1st; Tyler Gilliam also reached base, but was doubled off by Dave Robles, and the Coons tied up the game in the top 2nd as Monck got on base and was driven in by Jorge Caballero with a 2-out single. Unfortunately it looked like more hard contact and loud noises would come out of Fox in this start, and soon enough he was befuddled enough to allow a leadoff single to Flores in the bottom 3rd before balking the runner to third base after a Reber groundout. Gilliam then grounded out to Monck to keep the runner pinned and Cesar Ramirez flew out to Tallent in right to bring a lucky end to the inning.

Top 4th, the Coons got a chance outta thin air when Ramon Lopez reached on an error by Devin Willoughby and Branch was nicked on base, but Joel Starr found a 4-6-3 double play to hit into, ending the inning. Things only got worse from there as Chance Fox oversaw a Robles groundout to begin the bottom 4th, but then motioned for the trainer and left the game with Luis Silva… Paul Barton came in for long relief and got out of the fourth, then struck out the side in the fifth inning. The Coons drew walks with Tallent and Lopez to begin the top 6th and then croaked, and Barton did the same in the bottom 6th, giving up a go-ahead homer to Ramirez before walking Robles and Dominguez. Unlike the Coons, the Loggers did not make straight pathetic outs from there, loaded the bases with a Guitreau single, but Barton was replaced with McMahan against Scott Franks, who flew out to left. Robles made for home and was thrown out at the plate by Spicer for a double play, and Willoughby grounded out to Novelo to end the inning, Milwaukee only up 2-1.

Now, if only the Raccoons could find some more offense; they got Spicer on base in the seventh, but left him there, before Ramon Lopez doubled himself into scoring position to begin the eighth against righty Angelo Ramirez, left over from the seventh, who was removed for lefty Vincent Hernandez immediately afterwards. Monck grounded out, advancing the runner, and Branch’s sac fly to center against righty Jose Soto tied the score at two. Soto then left injured as well after a 2-out walk to Starr, but Steve Slye got out of the inning against the pinch-hitting Gutierrez, who popped out to short. The Loggers immediately reclaimed the lead in the bottom 8th against Soriano. Sunday’s hero issued a walk to Dominguez and then gave up a go-ahead double to Franks… When Spicer led off the ninth with a single against lefty Steve Keller, Soriano was kept around to bunt, getting the tying run into scoring position, but both Novelo and Tallent made meek outs and the Loggers snapped their losing streak at eight games. 3-2 Loggers. Spicer 3-4;

The last thing the Coons needed was losing a starting pitcher…

Luis Silva was mum about Fox initially though, so no roster moves were made immediately.

Game 3
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – SS Novelo – LF Spicer – 2B Gardner – P Walla
MIL: LF Franks – CF Merrill – 1B C. Ramirez – RF C. Dominguez – 2B Goss – SS Reber – C Guitreau – 3B Murcia – P O. Graham

The 2-3-4 core of those five left-handed bats atop the Loggers order gave Walla fits in his game, maybe more so than his own offense that left Corral in the first and Spicer in the second inning at third base respectively without scoring. Instead, the Loggers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom 3rd when Merrill walked with two outs and was driven in with a Ramirez single and a Dominguez RBI double before Tim Goss grounded out. Merrill and Ramirez would then go to the corners in the fifth inning and Dominguez came up with one out, but spanked a grounder at Joe Gardner for a 4-6-3 double play. In between, Gardner had gotten the Coons going with a leadoff single in the top 5th, only to be forced out on Walla’s bad bunt. Corral and Lopez hit 2-out singles, though, and Walla scored on the second knock… on which Corral also was killed dead in a rundown between second and third to end the inning after the tying run scored.

Top 6th, and singles by Monck and Spicer gave the Coons a 2-1 lead. Gardner was walked intentionally and Walla popped out to end the inning, but at least got another four outs from the Loggers before the lineup flipped over again and we went to Garvey instead, who struck out Franks and got a groundout from Merrill to complete seven, but then put Ramirez and Goss on base with a single and walk, respectively, in the bottom 8th. The Raccoons sent for Jesse Dover instead, potentially for a 5-out save, and he got Reber on a fly to center and Guitreau on strikes to wiggle out of the jam.

A tack-on run came from an unexpected angle when Malcolm Spicer took Angelo Ramirez deep to lead off the ninth inning. Jaden Wilson reached on an error with two outs and stole second base, but was left on by Corral, who flew out to deep center. Dover then retired Rafael Murcia and Mario Alaniz, right-handed batters, but the lineup flipped over again and Franks promptly doubled to left. Dover fought Merrill to a 2-2 count before the Logger hit a pop behind short. Novelo hustled backwards, turned left, turned right, and then made a catch over the shoulder to end the ballgame…! 3-1 Raccoons. Corral 2-4, BB, 2B; Monck 2-4; Spicer 3-4, HR, 2 RBI; Walla 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (4-1); Dover 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (4);

But we can’t have nice things, so Luis Silva told us on Thursday morning that Chance Fox had a tear in the flexor tendon in his elbow and was going to be out for the next 12 months. Since he was on an expiring contract, that essentially ended his Raccoons career.

(sullenly stuffs snout with cookies)

The Raccoons needed a starter for Sunday regardless, for which we’d reserve AAA’s Vinny Morales to make his ABL debut at age 25. The right-hander had been taken in the third round in the 2063 draft and was 1-0 with a 2.48 ERA in five starts this season. Last year he had posted a 5.24 ERA in AAA, though. He had a groundball tendency, but also a tendency to leave something right in the middle of the plate from where it would get tattooed.

Morales was not called up right away, though, as the Raccoons opted to use the temporarily open roster spot to give infielder Manny Arredondo, a minor league free agent signing, a shout for three days. Arrendondo was a left-handed singles slapper with speed that could adequately fill all infield spots to the left of Joel Starr.

Game 4
POR: SS Novelo – RF Corral – C Lopez – LF Branch – CF Tallent – 1B Starr – 2B Caballero – 3B Arredondo – P Damasceno
MIL: C Guitreau – CF Merrill – 1B C. Ramirez – RF C. Dominguez – 2B Goss – SS Reber – LF Alaniz – 3B Murcia – P L. Palacios

The Raccoons drew nothing but blanks against Palacios for six innings, while DD did what he could, which included some traffic, but also a catlike play on a Dominguez grounder to get the third out in the third inning when Guitreau and Merrill were in scoring position and ready to come home. Things went pear-shaped just an inning later, though, when a Starr error put Tim Goss on base, and then Reber singled, Alaniz tripled, and Murcia’s groundout made it 3-0 inside of five pitches. The inning almost escalated further with a 2-out double to right from Guitreau and a walk issued to Merrill, but Ramirez then grounded out to first to keep those two on base. The Raccoons were adrift until the seventh, when soft contact put Tallent and Caballero on the corners with one out. Manny Arrendondo had yet to do much, and grounded out to first, but that was still good enough to get Tallent home and the Critters on the board, 3-1. Monck batted for DD as the tying run, but grounded out to keep Caballero on second base.

Both teams were in their pen and the Loggers’ Vincent Hernandez appeared but briefly, allowed two singles to Novelo and Corral to begin the eighth, and then was replaced with Aiden Shaw. Lopez slapped another bloop single to left, filling the bags with nobody out. From there, Spicer batted for Branch and struck out; Wilson did *not* hit for Tallent, who struck out; and Starr rolled over on a groundout, and nobody ******* scored. Marcos Arellano would go on and hit a pinch-hit homer to left off Steve Keller in the ninth inning, but that was with two outs, nobody on, and without any further offensive heroics coming from Novelo, the next guy up. 3-2 Loggers. Novelo 2-5; Lopez 3-3, BB; Arellano (PH) 1-1, HR, RBI;

Raccoons (15-14) @ Blue Sox (18-10) – May 7-9, 2066

The Raccoons had to venture on to Nashville, where soon chaos broke out when Juan Sanchez, their starter for the first game, woke up with migraines on Friday and first thing in the morning barfed up his entire hotel room. He was day-to-day officially, but there was no way he could pitch like that and the Raccoons had to emergency-airlift the next available starter from AAA for that night’s game against the FL’s #8 offense, but second-best pitching. Their bullpen had a 1.54 ERA that the Coons would hardly put scratches into. These teams had met in 2065, when the Sox won two of three games.

Projected matchups:
Sandy Pineda (0-0) vs. Edwin Moreno (2-3, 4.06 ERA)
Shoma Nakayama (2-3, 2.38 ERA) vs. Josh Rivera (2-1, 2.93 ERA)
Vinny Morales (0-0) vs. Ken McDonald (2-3, 3.89 ERA)

We’d get two more left-handers to begin this series, and a right-hander for the finale.

The pitching emergency voided the last two days of the Arredondo (0-for-3, RBI) trial, and the Raccoons brought up Sandy Pineda, who was 4-1 with a 2.30 ERA in St. Pete after having gotten on the snout last season, much like Vinny Morales. Pineda, a 25-year-old southpaw, had been a #31 pick five years ago and had arrived in that trade that sent Tipsy Bobby Herrera, Nick Robinson, and Angel Perez to the Capitals in ’62, along with Applecore and Kyle Pisciotti, the former being also around in AAA and the latter having since washed out.

Game 1
POR: SS Novelo – RF Corral – CF Tallent – 3B Monck – LF Branch – 1B Spicer – 2B Caballero – C Arellano – P Pineda
NAS: CF Aracena – 1B DiPrimio – RF A. Gordon – LF Roman – C D. Johnson – 3B Healey – SS W. Mejia – 2B Kocot – P E. Moreno

Nobody had seen Pineda’s ABL debut here coming, including Pineda and the Blue Sox, who seemed to have an incomplete scouting report on him, which gave Pineda a free first run through the order – except for A.J. Kocot, a 30-year-old AAA veteran with just blips of ABL experience … but he knew Pineda from the minors and singled to right after seven straight Sox were sat down. By the fourth, however, they had his number and socked four straight hits to begin the inning between a Kris DiPrimio double, Austin Gordon’s single, another double for Tony Roman, and David Johnson’s single. Three runs scored in the inning, while Edwin Moreno had yet to put a Critter on base. The Sox would get two more base runners against Pineda in the fifth, but he soldiered through and pitched seven innings against the first-place team, which was commendable given the circumstances, even though he was well on track for a loss in his debut, given that Edwin Moreno still wasn’t allowing any base runners. He had the Coons down through six, through seven, and still had plenty of gas in the tank, even before Monck, Branch, and Spicer all popped out on three consecutive pitches, to three different infielders, in the eighth inning. Steven Hudson pitched a 1-2-3 bottom 8th, but all the excitement was about Moreno now, who was three batters away from history – and then Jorge Caballero singled to right on a string to lead off the ninth inning. The Sox whisked Moreno away at once after a 24-for-25 outing, giving the ball to Curt Carter, who struck out Arellano, walked Wilson, struck out Novelo, and got Corral on a pop to Kocot. 3-0 Blue Sox. Pineda 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, L (0-1);

Pineda was gone by dawn on Saturday and the Raccoons now brought up Vinny Morales for the Sunday start.

Game 2
POR: CF Wilson – SS Novelo – C Lopez – 3B Monck – RF Tallent – LF Branch – 1B Starr – 2B Caballero – P Nakayama
NAS: 3B Healey – 1B DiPrimio – RF A. Gordon – LF Roman – 2B W. Mejia – CF Ricker – C Feldbusch – SS Kocot – P Jo. Rivera

Wilson and Lopez drew walks in the opening frame, not that that led anywhere nice. Nakayama then walked Kris DiPrimio, gave up a double to Austin Gordon, a single to Tony Roman, both driving in the runner ahead of them, and the Sox were up 2-0. This already described almost half of the total base runners from the start of the game to the seventh-inning stretch, but the Raccoons made sure to at least show some token offense with some of the struggle bus kids in fhe fourth inning when Tommy Branch hit a 2-out single, was doubled home by Starr, and then Caballero walked, but Nakayama grounded out to end the inning. Monck hit a leadoff single in the sixth, which led nowhere, and suddenly we were already in the bottom 7th. Nakayama was still going and clicking off batters trailing 2-1, but Rivera had only pitched six innings before being replaced, but the Coons looked just as witless against the bullpen. Randy Tallent hit a deep fly to center to conclude the eighth, which was … at least loud?

Top 9th, and Curt Carter allowed a leadoff single to Branch, putting the tying run on base. Starr whiffed before Spicer batted for Caballero and singled to left-center. Branch went aggro for third base, the Sox briefly bobbled the ball in no man’s land, and Spicer moved up to second with the go-ahead run and one out. Corral batted for Nakayama, who had finished eight innings, but then had to watch Corral strike out on three pitches, bringing Jaden Wilson to the plate. Wilson drove a 2-0 pitch to left-center, pretty deep, but not deep enough to beat Tony Roman… 2-1 Blue Sox. Branch 2-3, BB; Spicer (PH) 1-1; Nakayama 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, L (2-4);

Game 3
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – SS Novelo – LF Spicer – 2B Gutierrez – P Morales
NAS: CF Aracena – 1B DiPrimio – LF Roman – C D. Johnson – 3B Healey – RF Ricker – 2B S. McLaughlin – SS Kocot – P K. McDonald

Morales was both hittable and kept it on the ground, and so Fernando Aracena singled in the first and was doubled off by Roman; Rick Healey singled in the second and was doubled off by Kyle Ricker; and Sean McLaughlin and Kocot opened the third inning with two singles, but McDonald banged the ball back to Morales on the bunt, and the Coons twisted it into a 1-5-3 double play, somehow! Kocot was left on second base by Aracena flying out to right. The Coons also scattered singles, and failed to reach third base in the first four innings despite SIX base hits before the Sox took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a David Johnson homer to left.

For an answer, the Raccoons got a 2-out single to right from Corral in the fifth inning. Lopez doubled to left, but Corral held at third base, and then Monck flew out gingerly to Tony Roman, because that would teach the Blue Sox…! They were so impressed, they ran up the score in the bottom 5th with Ricker and Kocot singles, a 2-out walk to Aracena, and then a bases-clearing double over the head of Jaden Wilson whacked by Kris DiPrimio that put Morales down 4-0. He struck out Roman to complete the inning, got two more outs to begin the bottom 6th, but then nicked Ricker and was then torn to shreds on straight singles by the 7-8-9 batters that brought in a run, and another single allowed by Soriano that scored another, 6-0. Hudson followed and pitched into a bases-loaded trouble, and then out of it again with a pop from McLaughlin to Corral in shallow right, and a K on Kocot to strand the bags full in the seventh. McDonald lasted seven and two thirds, allowing a meager eighth-inning run on hits by Monck, Novelo, and Spicer before Roberto Navarro came in and saw off Carlos Gutierrez, and that was about it. 6-1 Blue Sox. Corral 3-5; Lopez 2-5, 2B; Monck 2-4; Novelo 2-4; Spicer 3-4, RBI;

In other news

May 3 – Dallas OF Chad Pritchett (.342, 8 HR, 26 RBI) tags SAC SP Jay Williams (3-2, 3.08 ERA) for a grand slam for his 2,000th career base hit in a 5-3 against the Scorpions. All of the 34-year-old’s hits have come with the Stars, with whom he has batted .278 with 234 homers and 1,085 RBI over the years, winning two World Series titles and six stolen base titles, all in his 20s. For his career he had 443 steals, but none so far this season.
May 5 – The Condors beat the Thunder, 1-0 in 12 innings. After lots of trying, TIJ OF/2B/SS Mike Pinault (.254, 5 HR, 16 RBI) singles home the winning run in the top of the 12th.
May 6 – Rebels OF Jeremy Jenkins (.240, 4 HR, 12 RBI) was expected to miss three weeks with a bruise to his wrist.
May 6 – Dallas INF Adam Yocum (.342, 0 HR, 11 RBI) has a finger broken in an on-base collision and will miss at least a month.
May 6 – The Miners win in walkoff fashion, 9-8 in 14 innings, against the Buffaloes after both teams previously scored three runs each in the 12th.
May 9 – Wolves RF/LF Javier Acuna (.321, 1 HR, 11 RBI) would miss a month with a torn meniscus.

FL Player of the Week: DAL RF/LF/1B Juan de Luna (.275, 7 HR, 22 RBI), bashing .440 (11-25) with 3 HR, 12 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC C Victor Reyna (.306, 3 HR, 17 RBI), batting .478 (11-23) with 2 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Bum week. Chance Fox has been lost for the season / forever given the contract situation, and the offense scored their 100th run of the season on Saturday, in the team’s 31st game of the season. Not sure how we’re third in the division, but it’s not gonna last. I hope the Crusaders and Titans have fun up there.

The Fox injury tears a hole into the rotation, which was beleaguered this week after Juan Sanchez was also incapacitated by migraines on the weekend (aka when we needed him to take his turn). We have Thursday off, which means the fifth starter is not required the next time through the rotation. The plan is now to start Walla on regular rest against the Stingers on Monday, then slide Sanchez back in for the second game, and then we still have DD for the finale. So Vinny Morales won’t hang around; a fifth starter will be required once on the 19th, again on the 29th, and then not again until June 12, so we might get away with rotating spot starts for a while longer.

What about Josh Carrington coming back? Well maybe not as long as he has a 6+ ERA in St. Pete…

Besides three games at home against the Stingers, the Raccoons would also start a new 4-city road trip next Friday with three games in Elk City. Boston, Tijuana, and San Fran also on that itinerary.

Fun Fact: The Raccoons this week played six straight games in which neither they nor their opponents managed to score more than three runs.

The word “fun” is getting increasingly abused around here…