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With Berrios out, and we were talking about a 16-game loser before the end of July here, the last bit of order broke apart as far as the rotation was concerned. We now had Powell, Morris, and then Ray … and then Ocasio? That was at least 75% terrible.
To make this one clear: we were way past fun by now. This was a horrible grind.
At least the most recent slide was stopped in the first game at Oklahoma City, which opened a 2-week road trip. Powell was solid and went seven innings in a 4-1 win, allowing only a solo home run to stain his outing. The team then took a quick 4-0 lead, but Ocasio managed to blow it up and left in the seventh in a tied game. Vazquez lost the game as the Thunder walked off 5-4 in the ninth. That same Ocasio then got a virus infection to miss at least a few days. Next starter down. Goddamnit!!
August 1 brought the news that Christopher Powell was the Continenatal League’s pitcher of the month in July with a 5-1 record and 1.37 ERA. Daniel Hall was named the Continental League rookie of the month with a .274 clip in July, shooting six homers and plating 14 runners, while not coming off the DL until July 6.
August 1 unfortunately also was another horrible start for Ned Ray with six runs in the 7-2 loss. That was it for Ray, I had enough of him. Another guy to dump over the winter. We called up Gary Simmons, our 1978 round 2 draft pick from AAA, where he had ruled house – but mostly in relief.
We opened the Crusaders series (four games, as well as in Vancouver after that) with a 6-5 win that almost got out of hand in the eighth. Vazquez allowed two on base, Justice walked a lefty, and then the runs started scoring and slashed a 6-2 lead almost apart. Hatfield somehow got us out of that nasty bottom 8th. The Raccoons then only had four hits in game 2 (yet loaded the bases once) and lost 1-0. Powell was good in this outing, but took the loss. The favor was returned in the next game, where the Raccoons won 5-0 with only four hits for the Crusaders. Ocasio went 7.2 innings and only because he hit the heart of the Crusaders lineup hard there in the bottom 8th he couldn’t go and make the shutout in the end. Hatfield helped him out and Lopez pitched a scoreless ninth. The Raccoons got ahead in the second with a 2-run shot by Ben Simon. Ocasio didn’t get the shutout, but at least he got his first big league W. In game 4, Gary Simmons was up to pitch, and he struggled considerably. He had a few good innings early on, but eventually surrendered a 3-run homer to Yannick Roy in a scoreless game that broke it for the Raccoons, who lost 4-2.
The Canadiens somehow were over .500 (57-54), something the Raccoons couldn’t even dream of. Especially with the pitching we were sporting. Jerry Morris gave up eight runs in 4.1 innings and Vazquez added three more with one out in a 11-6 loss to open the series. Game 2 had Powell, who pitched eight strong innings and left with a 2-1 lead for Wally Gaston, who walked three and blew it all open in the bottom 9th to take the 3-2 loss. The Raccoons had out-hit the Canadiens 10-5 in the game, Ben Simon was 0-3 with 7 LOB. I knew where to direct my fury for some extra slappings here.
Frustration at new highs. Gaston was relieved of the closer role immediately, having blown enough. Hatfield would be allowed to blow some for the rest of the season.
Game 3 was Ocasio’s turn. His command was awful and he was exhausted by the sixth inning, but still picked up the win in the 8-2 victory over the Canadiens. He did allow only one unearned run after a throwing error by Ed Sullivan. Sullivan was struggling at the plate as well (a bit at least, dropping below .260), and I shuffled the middle of the lineup, 3 through 6, from Sánz – Sullivan – Johnston – Simon to Simon – Sánz – Sullivan – Johnston. Simon’s performance at bringing in runners was awful as usual. Batting behind the speedy youngsters Cox and Hall, the latter of which possessed some power (10 HR this season, 2nd behind Simon on the team) would maybe improve things, getting the boys another out to play with. Or so. I know crap about lineup building. The Raccoons lost the last game in Vancouver 4-3, after leading 3-1 into the bottom 8th, in 11 innings.
Next: interleague (Scorpions and Capitals), then a series in Indianapolis and a week-long home stint against the Titans and Knights.
In other news:
August 1 – The Aces are shut out by the Crusaders’ Tom Moulds, who gives up three hits in the 7-0 win of his team.
Almost 81 losses already and it isn’t even mid-August. The team sucks top to bottom. I’m so tired of trying to mess with this game, which refuses to be loved by me.
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