[Westheim]

The Raccoons waived Javy Carpio (0-1, 21.60 ERA) as intended and replaced him with Jason Holzmeister on the roster, because that would make everything so much better.

Raccoons (3-6) @ Indians (3-5) – April 17-20, 2070

The defending division winners from Indy also hadn’t gotten the start they had been hoping for, sitting eighth in runs scored and runs allowed, and in fifth place. Their defense so far had been slippery when wet, but they had already stolen nine bases, while the Coons had trouble even hitting for nine bases. Indy had won the season series in 2069, 11-7. They had SP Justin Esch on the DL, probably for the entire year, due to a torn rotator cuff.

Projected matchups:
Jimmy Wharton (0-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Miguel Lopez (0-1, 2.25 ERA)
Ian Lowry (0-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. Girolamo Pizzichini (0-1, 3.86 ERA)
Nick Walla (1-1, 5.25 ERA) vs. Victor Perez (0-2, 3.29 ERA)
Tony Gaytan (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Mike DeWitt (1-0, 7.20 ERA)

DeWitt was the only southpaw for this series. J.P. Gallo got a day off in the opener. Katzman was scheduled for Friday.

Game 1
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Katzman – RF Corral – CF T. Wharton – C Flowe – 1B Fumero – SS Mireles – 3B Jalomo – P J. Wharton
IND: CF Hilario – LF Spicer – C A. Gomez – 1B M. Rogers – 3B Ma. Martin – RF T. Torres – SS Leggett – 2B G. Lujan – P Mi. Lopez

Both teams only had a single the first time through the order, Fumero doing the honors for the Portland Pathetics, but Katzman hit a single to lead off the fourth inning, and the Raccoons looked in business when Lopez walked Jose Corral. Big Wharton popped out, though, but Jake Flowe showed signs of a pulse and hit an RBI single to right-center for the first run in the game. Fumero hit another single to load the bases, and then was doubled off, 3-U, when Josh Mireles lined out to Matt Rogers. Awesome!

That 1-0 score was the extent of offensive success for the two teams through five innings. Jimmyboy gave up three singles through five shutout innings, although Humphries and Tyler Wharton both had some work to do with long fly balls given up by the youngster. Top 6th, and the Coons had another fat scoring chance when Corral led off with a single and Ty Wharton doubled to left, putting the pair in scoring position with nobody out. Flowe hit a sac fly, Fumero popped out, and Mireles whiffed, which was apparently as good as it was gonna get right now. From Jimmy Wharton’s side then, walking Matt Rogers and giving up a homer to Matt Martin then just like that wiped the entire lead in the bottom 6th. While that hardly shocked me, my jaw *did* unhinge when Jimmy Wharton replied with a home run off Rodolfo Zea in the seventh inning, giving himself a new 3-2 lead. Humphries reached on an error and Katzman walked after that, but both were left stranded when Corral whiffed and Big Wharton flew out to Malcolm Spicer, one of many ex-Coons on that Indy roster, another one of which, Wally Leggett, got on base with a single to begin the bottom 7th, but was stranded by Jimmyboy, who was done after seven. Morejon batted for him with Flowe and Mireles on the corners and two outs in the eighth, but popped out against Zea.

Between McMahan, who allowed a single to PH Eddie Menchaca, and Victor Ramirez, who was taken deep by Matt Martin with two outs, the Raccoons then instantly blew the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, instead entering the ninth trailing and facing Shamar King. Humphries drew a leadoff walk and was doubled off by Katzman, and Corral flew out to Tony Torres to end the game. 4-3 Indians. Flowe 2-3, 2 RBI; Fumero 2-4; J. Wharton 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K and 1-3, HR, RBI;

Game 2
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Fumero – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF van Otterdijk – 1B Morejon – SS Mireles – C Jalomo – P Lowry
IND: CF Hilario – LF Spicer – 1B M. Rogers – 3B Ma. Martin – RF T. Torres – SS G. Lujan – C M. Reed – 2B Leggett – P Pizzichini

Friday’s game was scoreless through three innings as well, with Lowry yet to give up a base hit. The Coons had three and Tyler Wharton managed to strand Humphries and Fumero on base with a lazy fly out in the third inning, but J.P. Gallo then went deep to right to begin the fourth and the Raccoons were up 1-0. This became 2-0 when van Otterdijk immediately hit another homer to left! Jerry Morejon singled, Mireles popped out, but Willie Jalomo then ended an 0-for-17 run to begin the season with an RBI double to center, 3-0. He was left on base, but the Coons tacked on a run in the fifth when Wharton doubled and then scored on productive outs (!) by Gallo and the Otter.

Lowry walked a pair in the fourth inning, but those runners remained stranded. The Indians did get him, kinda, for a run in the fifth inning when Guillermo Lujan singled, stole second, and eventually scored on a 2-out wild pitch… The Raccoons’ starter would get through seven innings, albeit with the contact getting louder in the last few frames. However, the defense held together and the Indians never got a hit besides that Lujan single that led to the run across those seven innings. The Coons got the 9-1-2 batters out with Jason Holzmeister in the eighth inning, then had Pedro Valentin clean up in the ninth, although he did allow a double to Matt Martin to give the Indians a second base hit. 4-1 Raccoons. Humphries 2-4, BB, 2B; Fumero 2-5; Katzman (PH) 1-1; Lowry 7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, W (1-0);

The Raccoons have yet to score more than five runs in a game, and they did that only once.

Game 3
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF Corral – C Flowe – SS Mireles – 1B D. Gomez – P Walla
IND: CF Hilario – SS G. Lujan – 1B M. Rogers – 3B Ma. Martin – RF T. Torres – LF McInnis – C M. Reed – 2B Leggett – P V. Perez

Humphries singled his way on base to begin the Saturday game and was doubled off by Katzman, so the offense was truly humming. Nick Walla then walked Rogers in the first inning, five days removed from drowning in a 5-walk inning against Atlanta, although I also couldn’t recall a Coons pitcher getting Rogers out so far in this series… Walla then gave up a run on Torres and Leggett doubles in the second inning, which was not great either, and seemed to be behind in the count a lot. Humphries pulled the scores even with an unearned 2-out RBI double in the third inning, driving home Mireles after Matt Martin had dropped a previous foul pop by Humphries to allow him to stay in the box. Perez then rung up Katzman. Walla walked Rogers again in the bottom 3rd, but see my remarks before for how good we were doing against Rogers as a whole (in fact, at this point, he was “only” 5-for-10 in reaching base in the series, but it sure felt like 10-for-5).

Big Wharton singled to lead off the fourth and then was caught stealing before Mark Reed committed a 2-base throwing error on Gallo’s infield roller. That free runner was left on base of course on a grounder by Corral and Flowe popping out. Tony Torres hit a leadoff double and scored on two productive outs in the bottom 4th, 2-1 Indy, and I just didn’t like how Walla was looking, although he would end up finishing seven innings without allowing another run or walk. He struck out only three against two walks and four hits in this oddly incompetent looking contest, and was of course still 2-1 behind.

He was taken off the hook in the eighth though when Katz socked his third homer of the year off Tim Tennant, so there was that! Wharton then legged out an infield single and Tennant gave up another bomb to J.P. Gallo, and suddenly the Coons were on top, 4-2! We then brought in Gabriel Rios in a double switch (Otal in, Corral out) for what could potentially be a 6-out save against a heavily left-handed lineup. He gave up a leadoff single to Jose Hilario in the bottom 8th, but the runner never got off first base as the 2-3-4 batters made outs. In the ninth, he struck out Torres and Miguel Medina before Mark Reed rushed a homer over the fence in right, cutting the lead down to one. Rios remained in to face the switch-hitting Leggett, and ended the game with a K! 4-3 Coons. Humphries 2-5, 2B, RBI; T. Wharton 3-4;

This result dropped the Indians into last place, seven months after they had won the division.

Game 4
POR: LF Humphries – 3B Fumero – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF van Otterdijk – 1B Morejon – SS Mireles – C Jalomo – P Gaytan
IND: CF Hilario – LF Spicer – C A. Gomez – 1B M. Rogers – 3B Ma. Martin – RF T. Torres – SS G. Lujan – 2B Leggett – P M. DeWitt

DeWitt struck out three in the first inning, but also allowed a double to Fumero and a walk to Katzman, who were left on base. Gaytan struck out three of the first five batters he faced, while Malcolm Spicer singled his way on and was caught stealing, then nailed consecutive Indians, Torres and Lujan, with 2-out, 2-strike pitches in the second inning, which annoyed me greatly, but at least Leggett didn’t lob one out after that and instead popped out easily to Wharton in shallow center.

Gaytan finally (?) gave up his first homer of the year to Matt Rogers (…) in the fourth inning, which took him 18.2 innings to do on the new season, and put him in a 1-0 hole. The Coons were stirring for the first time since the opening frame in the fifth when they slowly loaded the bases with Mireles (walk), Jalomo (single), and Humphries (walk), but then there were two outs already. Fumero, batting .400, punched out. Instead Hilario drove in an unearned run when Wharton dropped a Leggett fly for a 2-base error in the bottom 5th, and the Indians were up 2-0.

DeWitt looked like he had this game in the bag. He got his 10th K against Jalomo to end the seventh inning, but only added one more against Gaytan in the eighth before being lifted. Tennant retired Humphries and Fumero, and Gaytan pitched eight innings in awaiting a complete-game loss, as with a 2-0 score the Indians sent Shamar King after the 3-4-5 batters. Katz grounded out to Martin, but Wharton singled to right, at least bringing up the tying run. Corral batted for the Otter and walked in a full count, and the Morejon **** into a 6-4-3 double play and flushed the rally. 2-0 Indians. Morejon 2-4; Gaytan 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, L (1-1);

(whiny noises)

Raccoons (5-8) @ Loggers (7-4) – April 21-23, 2070

The Loggers were in first place and scored more than twice as many runs as the Raccoons per game, which was probably all you didn’t want to know. Their pitching was even up to snuff so far, allowing the second-fewest runs in the league and they had a +26 run differential from just 11 games, so I really don’t know why the **** we came here in the first place. The Loggers had a 5-year run of winning the season series against the Coons, 11-7 in 2069.

Projected matchups:
Vinny Morales (0-2, 14.09 ERA) vs. Danny Ortiz (1-0, 5.73 ERA)
Jimmy Wharton (0-1, 2.63 ERA) vs. Curt Green (2-0, 4.26 ERA)
Ian Lowry (1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. Julio Robles (0-0, 21.60 ERA)

We were not entirely sure why Robles, a casual back-end starter at the best of times, who had gotten bombed in his sole relief outing of the year, was lining up for a start here. Probably a tease. All three were right-handed.

Game 1
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF Corral – 1B Morejon – SS Mireles – C Flowe – P Morales
MIL: SS Van Leeuwen – RF Da. Wright – LF C. Dominguez – C M. Rodriguez – 1B C. Ramirez – 2B F. Carrera – CF Parrish – 3B Di. Mendoza – P D. Ortiz

Jake Flowe homered after Mireles had already driven in Gallo for the game’s first run in the second inning, so the Coons had a 3-0 lead in the early going against the Loggers, who in turn faced Vinny Morales, who had yet to give up fewer than six runs in an outing this year. He retired four in a row before Cesar Ramirez singled, but the runner was doubled off on a 4-6-3 grounder by Fidel Carrera. Top 3rd, and Humphries and Katzman reached the corners leading off with a double and a single, respectively, but Wharton popped out to the shortstop Sean Van Leeuwen. Gallo hit an RBI single to center, but Corral and Morejon grounded out and didn’t get any additional runners home.

Dave Wright doubled to center to begin the bottom 4th for the Loggers and Carlos Dominguez hit a single to right immediately after that. Manuel Rodriguez bounced a comebacker right to Morales with runners on the corners, and Morales, who had gotten a Gold Glove last year, turned a 1-6-3 double play with it while scaring Wright back to third base. Ramirez then grounded out to Katzman, leaving the runner stranded. On to the fifth, where the Coons reached their high water mark for offense and knocked out Ortiz with hits from Humphries, Wharton, and Gallo, who got another RBI and led the team with a paltry eight. When lefty Jorge Quinones replaced the starter, the Coons sent van Otterdijk to bat for Corral in a bid to go for the throat. The Otter singled in two runs to get the Coons to SEVEN for the game, but was then left on base.

Morales cruised through six innings on three hits, but the Coons got flustered when Dominguez and Rodriguez hit singles to begin the bottom 7th and sent McMahan for the left-handed 5-6-7 batters. Ramirez hit a bloop single and John Parrish hit an RBI infield single, but in between and afterwards Carrera and Diego Mendoza made poor outs. When right-handed Casey Ramsey then pinch-hit, the Coons sent Nava, who got another pop to Katzman to strand three runners in a 7-1 game. The run was then pulled back against long-ago Coon Ramon Carreno when Mireles tripled and scored on Flowe’s sac fly in the eighth. That was the final run of the game, as the Coons then got scoreless innings from Gutierrez and Ramirez on the way out. 8-1 Furballs. Humphries 2-5, 2B; Gallo 2-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; van Otterdijk (PH) 1-2, 2 RBI; Mireles 3-4, 3B, RBI; Otal (PH) 1-1; Morales 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, W (1-2);

EIGHT runs in ONE game!! (snout hangs open)

Julio Robles then pitched in the middle game against Jimmyboy.

Game 2
POR: LF Humphries – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF Corral – 2B Fumero – 1B Morejon – C Flowe – P J. Wharton
MIL: RF Da. Wright – SS Van Leeuwen – LF C. Dominguez – C M. Rodriguez – 1B C. Ramirez – 2B F. Carrera – 3B Di. Mendoza – CF Parrish – P Ju. Robles

Humphries singled, Big Wharton walked, and Corral dropped an RBI single behind Van Leeuwen for a 1-0 lead in the first, but Fumero then grounded out to leave two on. Van Leeuwen then hit a double off Jimmyboy, but was left on. Tyler Wharton hit a solo homer to right in the third inning to make it 2-0, then joined Humphries in hitting singles in the fifth inning. One double steal later they were in scoring position, and Gallo got a run home with a grounder to second, while Robles, who was on five strikeouts, had Corral at 0-2 and then nicked him for another 2-out runner, but then did succeed in striking out Fumero. Fidel Carrera’s leadoff single in the bottom 5th was then only the second Loggers hit off Jimmy Wharton, who got a double play grounder from Diego Mendoza to clean up. John Parrish flew out to left to end the inning.

The Raccoons extended their lead in the sixth inning when Flowe doubled to right with one out, and then advanced on a wild pitch. Robles inexplicably walked Jimmy Wharton, then gave up the Flowe run on a grounder by Humphries, 4-0. Robles got Katz on a fly, then was hit for with Ramsey to begin the bottom 6th. The pinch-hitter doubled, Wright singled, and Van Leeuwen struck out against Jimmyboy while Wright stole second. Carlos Dominguez got a run home with a groundout, but Fumero made a nifty play on Rodriguez’ grounder to end the inning, with Team Wharton still up 4-1.

Things then got even stickier in the seventh with Ramirez and Carrera singles. Jimmy Wharton was yanked when he nicked Parrish to load the bags with one out. Nava came in as the fire brigade again, had PH Mario Alaniz at 1-2, and then gave up a screamer to left – but Humphries got there to make the catch. Ramirez went for home – and a ZINGER beat him to the plate, bang-bang play and the umpire brought the fist down to end the inning…!! Nava was retained to bunt in the eighth after Fumero and Morejon hit singles off Neil Mongillo and Flowe struck out. Humphries hit an RBI single to left with two outs, but now this inning also ended at the plate as Dominguez threw out Morejon there.

Between Nava and Rios we sat down the Loggers’ 1-2-3 batters in order in the bottom 8th, and B.J. Butrico got three straight outs against Portland in the ninth before we gave the 5-1 lead to Edgar Gutierrez. Manuel Rodriguez singled right away, while Ramirez flew out to Otal in center. When Carrera singled, the save was on and Valentin replaced the Mexican rookie, but Diego Mendoza doubled through Gallo to get the runners home. Parrish whiffed, but PH Vince Shapiro legged out a soft single to put the tying runs on the corners with two outs and turn the lineup over again. Wright went down on strikes to end the game…! 5-3 Raccoons. Humphries 3-5, 2 RBI; T. Wharton 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Morejon 2-4; J. Wharton 6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (1-1);

Look, boys, what you can achieve by scoring more than three ******* runs a game!

Game 3
POR: LF Humphries – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF Corral – 2B Fumero – C Flowe – 1B Gomez – P Lowry
MIL: SS Van Leeuwen – RF Da. Wright – LF C. Dominguez – 1B C. Ramirez – 2B F. Carrera – CF Parrish – C Guitreau – 3B Di. Mendoza – P C. Green

Straight base runners to begin the game from a Humphries single, Katzman walking, and a Wharton single to center gave the Raccoons a run before they made an out, but the 4-5-6 then made straight outs that were not helpful in getting a second run home. Flowe and Dan Gomez singled to begin the second and were bunted onwards by Lowry, after which Humphries got a run home with a groundout, but another base knock wasn’t in the cards, and Katzman flew out to Parrish in center. Parrish drew a walk in the bottom 2nd and Tommy Guitreau came a bit too close to a game-tying homer for my taste, but Corral picked the rocket off the top of the fence. Fumero singled in an unearned runner with Gallo in the third, as Dave Wright hadn’t been able to make up his mind whether he wanted to dive for Gallo’s looper or play it on the bounce, and instead took it off the chest for two bases.

The trouble for Lowry started in the bottom 3rd with a leadoff walk to Curt Green, from which he almost didn’t make it back with a lead, as the Loggers then quickly piled on three hits with Van Leeuwen, Dominguez, and Carrera, and the latter two each drove in a run to narrow the score to 3-2. Parrish flew out to a running Humphries to end the inning. The Coons continued to score in every inning, though, even though they only reached with two outs on a Humphries double to left in the fourth. Katzman singled him home with a liner over the glove of the shortstop, but Wharton’s long fly was rushed down by Parrish to end the inning.

The scoring string then did end, and a 4-2 lead was as good as tie with these Loggers. Lowry wasn’t pitching badly, but he gave up a single to Carrera and an RBI double to Guitreau with two outs in the sixth and that narrowed the score to one run again. Diego Mendoza was then brushed by a pitch and Lowry had to ring up Vince Shapiro to get out of the inning.

Gallo went yard off Mongillo in the seventh to tack on a run again, and the 5-3 lead went to Rios in the bottom 7th, but now the bottom tried to fall out of the barrel. Rios nicked Wright with one out, Dominguez singled, and then Fumero fumbled Ramirez’ grounder to load the bases. While Rios buggered out of there by getting pop outs on the infield from Alaniz and Parrish, he didn’t do so without Flowe letting a ball escape between his legs to concede a run on a passed ball… Gallo for the second straight inning then tacked on another run after Humphries and Katzman reached. Wharton forced out the latter with a grounder to short, but Gallo got Mongillo for an RBI single to left-center, 6-4. Mireles then batted for Rios in Corral’s deserted spot and struck out. Holzmeister handled the eighth, which included Diego Mendoza flying out on 3-0 pitch to help out. The ninth brought more drama instead, as Valentin got Van Leeuwen to ground out, but then walked Wright and Fumero made another error on Dominguez’ grounder. Ramirez flew out easily, but Casey Ramsey strung an RBI double to left, and any other runner but Dominguez would have been sent home with the tying run, but the Loggers had to stop him at third base. The .180 hitter Parrish then ended the game with a 3-run homer to right. 8-6 Loggers. Humphries 3-5, 2 2B, RBI; Gallo 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Flowe 2-5, 2B;

Fumero had three singles, but cost five unearned runs with his defensive *************. Good job.

Raccoons (7-9) @ Condors (5-11) – April 25-27, 2070

Tijuana sat eighth in runs scored and had allowed the second-most runs so far in the CL. Their -25 run differential was worse than the Coons’ (-13), and they were near the very bottom in speed, defense, and especially starters’ ERA. Ace of Aces Jason Brenize was on the DL this week still, as was reliever Jason Reed. Josh Rugar was hitting .242 with five homers, and nobody else in that lineup had more than one. The Critters had won this season series in every even year going back to 2046, but the Condors had won it in every odd season going back to 2063, 5-4 last year.

Projected matchups:
Nick Walla (2-1, 4.26 ERA) vs. Luis Renteria (1-2, 8.36 ERA)
Tony Gaytan (1-1, 0.39 ERA) vs. TBD
Vinny Morales (1-2, 8.56 ERA) vs. Ryan Mann (2-1, 4.79 ERA)

Renteria and Mann were right-handed. The middle spot would have been rookie Brian Kauffman, but he was suspended for the duration of this series, and we’d have to see how the Condors would patch things up.

The Coons made a roster move, returning Dan Gomez (.222, 0 HR, 0 RBI) to AAA for Jacob Davis, who this time might even get into a game before Adam Yocum came off the DL on Sunday.

Game 1
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF Corral – C Flowe – SS Mireles – 1B Morejon – P Walla
TIJ: 2B M. Roberts – SS M. Moreno – 1B D. Cline – CF Rugar – C Brann – 3B D. Rodriguez – LF Schreiber – RF J. Elliott – P Renteria

Humphries and Katzman reached base to begin the game, but it took a Corral single with two outs to get a run home, and Flowe’s groundout then stranded a pair. Nothing major happened until the top of the order was batting again for Portland, and the 1-2 were on base again to begin the top of the third. They pulled off a double steal, then scored together on a Wharton single. Chris Schreiber’s throw home allowed Wharton to second base, but so would have the four-pitch walk that Gallo drew. Corral grounded out, Flowe popped out, but Josh Mireles dished a ball into the gap for a 2-out, 2-run double, and a 5-0 lead in the game. Morejon, batting .171 with no RBI’s, was walked intentionally to get a K on Walla and end the inning, and Renteria was yanked in the bottom 3rd for PH J.D. Johnson, who drew a walk off Walla, who was still being watched curiously. Schreiber had begun the inning with a double, but Mike Roberts wrapped up the frame with a double play grounder.

Humph and Katz then reached base together for the third straight time in four innings when lefty David Mundell walked both of them in the fourth. Wharton’s single loaded the bases, and Gallo’s single plated Humphries. Corral scored a run, but for the cost of a 4-6-3 double play. Mundell walked Flowe, but Mireles then flew out to Schreiber. An error by Jake Elliott then put Morejon on base to begin the fifth. Walla singled on an 0-2 pitch, and Humphries drew another walk to load the bases. Katz doubled home two to send Mundell packing. Pat Bidwell then shut down the 3-4-5 batters hard to keep the score at 9-0.

Walla was nursing a 2-hitter on a reasonable pitch count through six, but the sparkle wasn’t there. He only whiffed three through six. The Coons then replaced Humph and Wharton at the stretch given the 9-0 lead. Walla struck out two in the seventh, but the shutout burst with five outs remaining when Danny Rodriguez got hold of a pitch and barreled it over the wall in right. Walla allowed another single to Mario Moreno in the ninth, but apart from that finished the game undeterred for a 4-hitter on 98 pitches! 9-1 Furballs! Humphries 1-2, 3 BB; Katzman 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; T. Wharton 3-5, 2 RBI; Walla 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (3-1) and 1-5;

I am still not seeing 2068 Walla, but he looked a lot better than at the start of the season. It was enough at least to be named BNN’s Player of the Day.

Ryan Mann got the ball on short rest on Saturday, while Jacob Davis was ill with an earache. Maybe he wasn’t gonna get into a game after all.

Game 2
POR: LF Humphries – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – 3B Gallo – RF van Otterdijk – C Flowe – SS Mireles – 1B Morejon – P Gaytan
TIJ: 3B D. Rodriguez – SS M. Moreno – 1B D. Cline – CF Rugar – C Brann – LF J. Jenkins – 2B Vidrio – RF J. Elliott – P Mann

The Condors burst out for four runs against Gaytan in the first inning as Moreno singled, David Cline walked, and with two outs Mike Brann hit an RBI single and Jeremy Jenkins socked a 3-run homer. Gaytan reeled himself in after that, but the damage was done, and the Coons didn’t get as much as a single for four innings against Mann, who was positively wild and walked three, but also struck out five. Mireles slapped a leadoff single in the fifth inning, but was doubled up, and it was gonna be one of *those* games.

Gaytan did *fine* until he suddenly gave up three hits and two runs in quick succession in the seventh inning, but the Raccoons by then still were sat on that Mireles single and nothing else. The Raccoons would never get another hit, and for the game ended up drawing five walks and striking out ten times while drowning without making too many bubbles on the surface. 6-0 Condors.

Adam Yocum did not come off the DL as hoped for on Sunday, so Jacob Davis remained on the roster and who knows, maybe he can become the running gag this year. Called up six times, never got the uniform dirty.

We were up against left-hander Bryan Farris (0-0, 2.77 ERA) on Southpaw Sunday.

Game 3
POR: LF Humphries – 1B Fumero – 2B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF van Otterdijk – 3B Gallo – SS Mireles – C Jalomo – P Morales
TIJ: 2B M. Roberts – 3B D. Rodriguez – 1B D. Cline – CF Rugar – C Brann – LF J. Jenkins – SS Vidrio – RF J. Elliott – P Farris

The Coons disappeared for the minimum the first time through as Mireles drew a walk and was doubled up by Willie Jalomo, while Vinny Morales issued a walk in each of the first two innings, but didn’t allow a run; he just escalated his limited pitch count early on, needing 47 tosses through three innings. Neither side had a hit after three, in fact.

Humphries walked and then Fumero doubled to left to begin the fourth and put a pair in scoring position. Farris walked Katz in a full count, which brought up Wharton with three on and (sigh) nobody out. He got a run home with a slow grounder to third that had Rodriguez rush in, and then his only play was at first base. The Otter walked the reload the bases, and then the Condors lost Gallo’s sodden grounder on the infield for an RBI infield single. Farris walked in a run against Mireles, 3-0, but then struck out Jalomo and brought up the pitcher with two outs, a duel that ended with a bases-clearing double and Farris getting yanked from the game. Mundell replaced him, walked Humphries, and then got Fumero to pop out, ending a 6-run inning.

Mundell would pitch two innings across three actual frames, hit a single off Morales in the bottom 5th, but then gave up a solo homer to Mireles in the sixth. From there he packed the bases with Humphries, Fumero, and Katz, and two outs, and then had Wharton, who had hit into a double play against him the last time up, at 1-2 before hanging one, and you can’t hang one to Tyler Wharton. GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMM!!!

Morales was done after six innings of 2-hit, but 5-walk ball that pretty much got him to 100 pitches. Jacob David batted for him and grounded out against Harry Facteau in the seventh, then replaced Katz at second base for the rest of the game. Gutierrez got four outs after Morales left, and McMahan and Holzmeister both allowed a hit and got one more out in a gooey eighth, but the Condors were kept off the board until Mario Moreno hit a pinch-hit RBI single off Danny Nava when they were down to their final out in the ninth inning. Danny Rodriguez flew out to center to end the game. 11-1 Furballs. Humphries 0-1, 4 BB; Fumero 3-5, 2B; T. Wharton 1-5, HR, 5 RBI; Morales 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 4 K, W (2-2) and 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI;

In other news

April 18 – 23-year-old TIJ SP Bryan Farris (0-0, 0.00 ERA) no-hits the Aces for eight innings on his ABL debut, leaving in a 1-1 tie (both runs unearned) before the Aces claim a 3-1 win on their only base hit, a walkoff home run by 2B/SS Carlos Cervantez (.237, 2 HR, 8 RBI) off Condors closer Tyler Reed (0-1, 3.18 ERA).
April 18 – Rebs OF Juan Licona (.372, 1 HR, 7 RBI) sees his 27-game hitting streak end with an 0-for-5 outing against the Blue Sox. The rest of the team does hit though and takes a 7-3 win.
April 18 – Knights INF Jorge Munoz (.265, 0 HR, 3 RBI) could be out until June with an oblique strain.
April 18 – Sacramento kills the Stars with a 10-run first inning and then cruises to a 16-3 win. DAL SP Juan Sanchez (1-1, 10.29 ERA) retires none of the eight batters he faces, all of whom score. SAC OF/2B/SS Mike Pinault (.324, 3 HR, 16 RBI) drives in seven runs with three walks and three hits, including two homers *in the first inning*.
April 19 – ATL OF Jorge Soto (.396, 0 HR, 2 RBI) is expected to miss a month on account of a herniated disc.
April 19 – The Condors beat the Aces, 3-2 in 14 innings, despite being out-hit in the game, 15-8.
April 19 – The Bayhawks beat the Knights, 7-6 in 16 innings, on a walkoff home run by C Hugo Valdez (.256, 2 HR, 9 RBI), after no runs had been scored since the sixth inning.

April 20 – A home run by VAN RF/LF Roberto Lozada (.275, 3 HR, 8 RBI) beats the Crusaders, 1-0.
April 23 – SFW SP Matthew Stratford (1-1, 3.21 ERA) is expected to miss two months from an oblique strain.
April 23 – The Stars score *15* runs in the third inning to thoroughly erase an early 6-0 lead for Los Angeles, and end up winning a 23-11 smasher. DAL 1B/3B/OF Dallas Stockton (.280, 6 HR, 22 RBI) drives in eight runs with a grand slam, 3-run homer, and sac fly, while DAL 3B/2B/LF/RF Mike Baird (.231, 0 HR, 12 RBI) drives in five more on two doubles.
April 23 – The Falcons are taken apart by the Knights in an 18-1 rout. ATL C Justin Hart (.460, 5 HR, 27 RBI) goes 4-for-6 with a homer, two doubles, and seven RBI to lead the charge.
April 23 – The Titans acquire catcher Curt Goodwin (.300, 0 HR, 10 RBI) and a prospect from the Stars for outfielder Jake Evans (.400, 1 HR, 3 RBI).

April 24 – SFW SP Sean Ranney (1-1, 5.48 ERA) could miss four months after having bone chips removed from his elbow.
April 25 – The first career hit of Miners RF/LF Nate Holcomb (.167, 1 HR, 1 RBI) is a 14th-inning walkoff home run to beat the Scorpions, 4-3.

Player of the Week 2 (FL): SAC OF/2B/SS Mike Pinault (.357, 4 HR, 17 RBI), hitting .412 (7-17) with 3 HR, 10 RBI
Player of the Week 2 (CL): BOS OF Eddie Marcotte (.333, 2 HR, 9 RBI), going .414 (12-29) with 2 HR, 6 RBI

Player of the Week 3 (FL): WAS 2B Andy Ratliff (.448, 1 HR, 16 RBI), hitting .450 (9-20) with 1 HR, 6 RBI
Player of the Week 3 (CL): VAN C/1B Jonathan Contreras (.414, 2 HR, 16 RBI), clipping .500 (12-24) with 1 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

The Stars scored 23 runs in a day. The Coons can’t score 23 in a ******* week!!

Okay, things got markedly better in the last week here, and while we’re still far away from scoring even four runs per game, the Coons put out 39 markers against the Loggers and Condors, or 6.5 per game. I can work with that!

Yocum’s return on Tuesday after another off day should also help with densening the lineup a bit more, and then we’ll try to find solutions for all the bats that aren’t working; catchers, Morejon, van Otterdijk…

After the off day on Monday, we finish the long road trip with a 3-game set in Oklahoma, and then it’s home for a 7-game homestand against the Elks and Crusaders. Most of our games in May are at home, with only nine road games scheduled, and none of them East of Oklahoma.

Fun Fact: The Raccoons will not play a game East of the Mississippi for eight full weeks.

This goes from the Condors series we just played straight through to June 19, the middle of a Buffos/Titans road trip. Of course we then get to make three separate cross-country trips in the next five weeks after that.