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Old 05-12-2019, 10:49 AM   #2844
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Raccoons (32-30) @ Pacifics (39-23) – June 10-12, 2030

Eek, the Pacifics were rather hot. They were third in runs scored in the FL with 4.6 markers per game, and they were conceding the fewest runs at 3.8 runs for each time they put on pants. Their rotation was the best in the league, and the Raccoons were probably going to be seriously challenged here… Last time these teams met, the Pacifics took two of the three games. That was in ’28.

Projected matchups:
Mark Roberts (5-3, 4.52 ERA) vs. Jorge Beltran (8-3, 1.93 ERA)
Jose Menendez (6-3, 3.00 ERA) vs. Eric Williams (5-3, 3.56 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (2-4, 4.70 ERA) vs. Gavin Lee (3-3, 3.10 ERA)

Williams was actually the worst of the bunch by ERA; also the only southpaw we’d encounter, although they had two more in legit starts Dave Christiansen (9-2, 2.75 ERA) and Luis Flores (7-3, 3.45 ERA).

Game 1
POR: SS Ramos – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – 1B Harenberg – RF Hereford – 2B Stalker – LF Jamieson – C Pizzo – P Roberts
LAP: RF O. Mendoza – 2B Ryder – CF Fowler – 1B Kopp – 3B Schmit – LF McEwen – SS Cook – C T. Williams – P Beltran

At first, a pitchers’ duel broke out; Beltran retired the Coons in order the first time through and whiffed four, while Roberts only gave up a single single over three innings. Then Alberto opened the fourth with a single to left, Mora doubled to right-center, and Nunley chucked an RBI single over Zachary Ryder to put Portland on the board, 1-0. Harenberg made it 2-0 in style, via the double play, as Mora dashed home from third base on the 6-4-3. Roberts returned to the mound and immediately farted. Terry Kopp, batting .321 with 14 homers coming into the game, because ex-Coon, singled to center with one out, and with two down Roberts cluelessly walked both Chris McEwen and Ben Cook to load the bags. Travis Williams flew to center, no challenge for Mora, but can we ever have nice things? Besides stranding three runners, I mean. Not putting them on in the first place!

Tearing up the best pitcher in baseball right now would work fine, too, thanks. Beltran retired Stalker and Jamieson to begin the fifth before Pizzo singled up the middle innocently enough. That brought up the pitcher, but Roberts kept raking and singled, too, upping his batting average to .414 for the season. Hell for Beltran was only just beginning – Ramos and Mora hit screaming doubles up either line, plating three runs total, and Nunley dropped a single into right, giving Harenberg the corners. Kevin flew out on the first pitch, but it was still 5-0 in the middle of the fifth. Now, where’s that confidence that Roberts could make it a 5-game winning streak? That had probably been left in about 2028. Roberts allowed a leadoff single to Bobby Marshall, once with the Thunder, in the bottom 5th as Marshall batted for the fallen Beltran, and it didn’t take long for a big bang. Hereford narrowly robbed Ryder of extra bases on the warning track, but Justin Fowler hit one outta here with two outs, cutting the edge to 5-2. Kopp singled, but Andy Schmit popped out to end the slide. Roberts made it into the seventh, but it was probably a mistake to send him back out for a fourth tour. Oscar Mendoza singled, Ryder hit an RBI double, and suddenly the middle of the order was up as the tying runs. Surginer took over and somehow made it through the inning without allowing Ryder across; Fowler flew out to deep center, Kopp flew out to shallow left, and Schmit got whiffed. The ordeal took only six pitches, so Surginer was back for the eighth, got two outs, then walked Williams and PH Dan Tugwell… at least Mauricio Garavito managed to ring up Mendoza to end the inning…! But the Raccoons failed fully and completely to tack on an insurance run, so Josh Boles was in the game in the ninth after only one day of rest following three straight saves. He was NOT sharp. Ryder hit a leadoff double to center, for example, and here came the tying run again. Fowler hit a spiced grounder at Ramos for the first out, which held the runner, and Kopp unleashed a slow roller that had Nunley dash in, which did not hold the runner. L.A. was down to former Crusader Andy Schmit’s wisdom, which was not enough to hit any offering by Boles, who thus extended our winning streak to five. 5-3 Coons. Ramos 4-5, 2B, RBI; Mora 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Nunley 2-4, RBI; Pizzo 1-2, BB; Surginer 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K;

Game 2
POR: SS Ramos – CF Baldwin – 2B Stalker – 1B Harenberg – RF Gomez – 3B Hereford – LF Jamieson – C Tovias – P Menendez
LAP: RF O. Mendoza – 2B Kane – CF Fowler – LF Kopp – 3B Schmit – C Allomes – SS Cook – 1B Hollar – P E. Williams

The streak ended for sure in the Tuesday game, in which the Pacifics’ first hit put them up 3-0. It was a 2-run single by Ben Cook with the bases loaded, courtesy of Menendez walking three and nailing Terry Kopp at some point in between. He walked another guy in Chris Hollar, plated a fourth run with a wild pitch, and only the rung up the pitcher Williams, who seemed in pretty good mood staked to an early 4-0 edge. 4-0 on one base hit, just as a reminder. Well, technically there was lots of game left to make up a 4-run deficit, but that would have required a modicum of offense. The Coons amounted to two base hits against Williams through six, which was also – somewhat miraculously – the exact distance that Menendez went after a 43-pitch first inning. He was probably pitching scared that he’d live out his final days as an Alley Cat… Somehow the Raccoons would score two runs in the top 7th, which began with Harenberg walking. Rafael Gomez hit a gapper for a triple, then came home on a Jamieson sac fly to get to 4-2. Bottom 7th, Brotman got two outs before putting on Mike Kane and Fowler. With Chris McEwen pinch-hitting for Kopp to counter Brotman, the Coons brought Ricky Ohl in a double switch, and Ricky secured the K. The other half of the double switch was Ryan Allan, who then led off the eighth with a single to center. Ramos and Baldwin made outs, but Stalker singled off Williams, bringing up Harenberg with two down and the tying runs aboard… which was a recipe for disappointment. He struck out. The Coons went down harmlessly in the ninth. 4-2 Pacifics. Mora (PH) 1-1; Allan 1-1;

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – 1B Harenberg – RF Hereford – 2B Stalker – LF Jamieson – C Pizzo – P Gutierrez
LAP: SS Cook – 2B Ryder – CF Fowler – 1B Kopp – 3B Schmit – LF McEwen – RF Tugwell – C T. Williams – P G. Lee

Ramos led off with a single, stole second, and… was left on base. On the other side of the middle of the first, Rico gave up singles to Cook and Ryder and plated the former with a wild pitch, so things continued to go pear-shaped for him. Oh well, only 5 1/2 more years on that contract! In happier news, Gavin Lee put the first four Critters on base in the second inning. Hereford got on and scored on a Stalker double, and then a Jamieson single and a walk drawn by Pizzo loaded them up with no outs for … Rico, batting all of .118. He grounded back to the mound, easily getting Stalker forced out at home, but Lee’s feed still upset Williams enough to cost the double play at first base, and that was not the last double play they missed in the inning. Ramos grounded to short, and gave it his all with the hindpaws to break up a double play that allowed Jamieson to score with the go-ahead run, 2-1. Mora struck out, and Rico got all of four outs before blowing the lead on Cook’s solo shot in the bottom 3rd. After Ryder flew out, Rico really and honestly issued three 2-out walks before somehow McEwen whiffed. Two wounded starters then dragged themselves through five and beyond. Lee made it six without allowing anything worthwhile to the Coons. Rico managed five and two thirds before Dan Tugwell hit a huge shot to left to put L.A. 3-2 ahead…

While Brotman and Fleischer kept the Pacifics at bay in the seventh and eighth, Portland poked in vain and arrived in the ninth still down by a run. They faced Vincent Alfaro in the ninth. The longtime starter had lost all but two of his pitches a while ago and had been shifted to the pen this season. He had no career save yet. Allan batted for Stalker to begin the inning, trying to combat the right-hander Alfaro with a platoon advantage, but grounded out. Jamieson singled to right, putting the tying run on. Pizzo struck out. Magallanes struck out. 3-2 Pacifics. Jamieson 2-4;

Let’s just say I tried to walk into traffic in front of the ballpark, but the Druid held me back, warning me that his mottled dragon tincture to survive traffic accidents was back home in Portland. How kind of him…

Raccoons (33-32) vs. Crusaders (30-36) – June 14-16, 2030

Here came the Crusaders. We were 2-2 against them this season, which was not good enough against a last-place team, but they also seemed to rally quite a bit, posting a 9-3 June at this point. They were second from the bottom in runs scored, but were also giving up the third-fewest runs in the Continental League, so our endless scoring struggles were likely bound to continue.

Projected matchups:
Tom Shumway (2-5, 3.35 ERA) vs. Eddie Cannon (6-5, 4.37 ERA)
Dave Martinez (8-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Robby Gonzalez (2-4, 4.19 ERA)
Mark Roberts (6-3, 4.52 ERA) vs. Carlos Marron (2-2, 1.80 ERA)

Looks like a set of righties. The Crusaders had played a double header (and won it) against the Rebels on Thursday, while we had been off. So we had at least a bullpen advantage? Maybe? Please.

Please, someone say something comforting!

Or that… (takes bottle o’ booze silently extended by Slappy)

Game 1
NYC: 2B Hurtado – 1B Serrano – RF Reardon – CF Coca – C Dear – LF Olszewski – 3B Czachor – SS Cameron – P E. Cannon
POR: SS Ramos – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – 1B Harenberg – RF Hereford – 2B Stalker – LF Jamieson – C Pizzo – P Shumway

The Coons’ first chance came credit of Joe Cameron at short, bungling a potential 6-4-3 by Tim Stalker with Hereford on first and no outs in the bottom 2nd. The error put two on for Jamieson, who blooped a 1-2 pitch to shallow left and *just* out of the reach of Drew Olszewski (who entered the game with a 19-game hitting streak) to load the bases. With nobody out. Tovias flew out to Chris Reardon in right, Hereford was sent and thrown out, and Shumway ended the inning. As usual – no runs.

Olszewski made it 20 games with a fourth-inning single. It came with one out and also moved Matt Dear, who had drawn a 4-pitch walk, to second base, but Ryan Czachor snapped a ball at our own third baseman, and Nunley turned the double play, 5-4-3, to get out of the inning. Yeah, now we were all grinning and high-fiving. Czachor would turn an inning-ending 5-4-3 in the same inning when Jamieson grounded to him with Harenberg and Stalker on the corners and one out… The completely hopeless Raccoons left runners on the corners in the following inning when Mora flew out easily to Olszewski, and then the top 6th began with Reardon’s infield single. Shumway threw a wild pitch, the Crusaders landed two productive groundouts, and that put Reardon on the board with the game’s first run. In other words – ballgame. The Coons had absolutely nothing until Matt Nunley drew a 2-out walk in the eighth inning, which also got Cannon removed. Hey, finally we were into the bullpen that had to do double duty on Thursday! And Casey Moore got Harenberg to pop out to second base to end the inning… Olszewski reached with an infield single against Fleischer in the ninth, but was caught stealing, leaving Crusaders closer Travis Giordano and his 4.68 ERA no cushion in the bottom of the inning. He’d face 5-6-7. Hereford led off chipping a single to left on a 1-2 pitch, which was a nice tease by the baseball mods, I must admit. Stalker hit a comebacker that got Hereford forced at second, but then stole second base to move the tying run into scoring position. It was only his fourth bag of the year. Jamieson struck out. Pizzo grounded up the middle, into the teeth of the defense, and that ended the game. 1-0 Crusaders. Hereford 2-3, BB; Shumway 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, L (2-6);

Alright. Normal booze isn’t working no more. I will try to spice it with tabasco, but I am not positive that will do anything. Next step… (pulls a thin flask out of the bottom drawer) … will be turpentine.

Game 2
NYC: 2B Hurtado – 1B Olszewski – RF Reardon – CF Coca – LF Serrano – C Dear – 3B Czachor – SS Laughery – P R. Gonzalez
POR: SS Ramos – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – 1B Harenberg – RF Hereford – 2B Stalker – LF Allan – C Tovias – P Martinez

The good news first: Portland actually scored in this game. Hereford worked a leadoff walk in the bottom 2nd, then came around on singles by Stalker and Allan before Tovias (pop) and Martinez (double play) delivered a splendid choke job. Martinez retired the first eight Crusaders before Robby Gonzalez doubled (…) and Mario Hurtado walked, but he bailed out on Olszewski’s inning-ending grounder. There was no bailing out in the fourth, though, in which Tony Coca hit a single, and Matt Dear hit a 2-out, 2-run homer. And because people love to see bombs, and there can’t be enough of them, Ryan Czachor went back-to-back with him, putting New York 3-1 ahead. It was but little consolation that Matt Dear was ejected after striking out in the sixth inning. That would not revert the next irreversible, irresistible loss.

All the Coons had going was Alberto Ramos, who could not amount to more than a run at any one time. In the bottom 6th, he reached on a single, stole second, then came around on Mora’s grounder and Nunley’s sac fly, but that left the team 3-2 behind. Bottom 7th, Hereford grounded out, but Stalker hit a gapper in left-center that Danny Serrano let roll around for a while before he got to it. Stalker ended up at third base with a triple, and now the tying run was just 90 feet away! Gonzalez stayed in there, Ryan Allan ripped a rocketing double to left, and the Coons were back even! …and then Tovias rolled out and Jamieson flew out to left to strand the go-ahead run at third base…

Brotman came on for the eighth for the sole purpose of retiring the leadoff man Olszewski, which he notably didn’t do when the streaking Crusader hit a single. On to Surginer, with Olszewski swiping second base against no throw whatsoever by Tovias, and Surginer lost lefty pinch-hitter Jamie Richardson on balls, too. Tony Coca was likely to end this one, probably, surely. He had murdered the Coons a thousand times as an Elk, time to do it as a Crusader. Bouncer back to the mound, Surginer to Ramos, to Harenberg, double play! Danny Serrano popped a 2-1 pitch to second base, Stalker circling under it and - … and then the ball made *thud* in front of Stalker. Olszewski had crossed home plate, the run counted because, well, out precious, luxuriously paid, 4-time Gold Glover … simply… let it drop… let it drop in front of him. 4-3. Are you CRAZY?? What the heck is WRONG WITH YOU!?? AAHH!! … AAHHH!!! … [more incoherent screaming]

The Agony. The Agony.

Josh Wool singled up the middle, but PH Luis Moreira struck out to end the top 8th. Nunley hit a 2-out single against Jamie O’Leary in the bottom of the inning, but all that did was bring up Harenberg, and I’d rather see Grandma Betty bat with two outs and the tying run on base… he rolled out to first. Josh Boles, bored at this point, got through the Crusaders in the ninth, and they brought on Keith Roofener for the bottom 9th. At least he was walking five per nine innings, so maybe a walk and a blast, boys? How ‘bout that? How ‘bout a walk and a blast? Hereford led off with a double to right, which was a good start for sure. That brought up Stalker, the ROYAL ASS!! He got nailed with an 0-1 pitch, which was certainly the best use for his stupid body. The winning run was thus on base for Allan, who countered the righty on the mound and had two hits in the game. He struck out, and up came Tovias, who didn’t wait around for long and poked a 1-0 pitch into play. To short. To second. To first. Fade to black. 4-3 Crusaders. Nunley 2-3, RBI; Allan 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI;

Good one, Baseball Gods. That was… that was… that was a good one.

That was a good one.

(keeps banging his head against the door frame very slowly while Maud shrugs and flicks out the lights and goes home)

Game 3
NYC: 2B Hurtado – 1B Serrano – RF Reardon – CF Coca – C Dear – LF Olszewski – 3B Czachor – SS Cameron – P Marron
POR: SS Ramos – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – 1B Harenberg – RF Hereford – 2B Stalker – LF Jamieson – C Pizzo – P Roberts

Roberts faced the minimum the first time through, which didn’t mean some of them didn’t make fat contact, f.e. Hurtado lined out hard right at Jamieson to begin the game, or that he didn’t issue a leadoff walk to Ryan Czachor in the third, but Joe Cameron hit into a double play right away. Jamieson also hit into a double play in the bottom 2nd after Marron had doled out two walks to begin the inning, but Mike Pizzo raked a fastball over the leftfield fence for his seventh homer of the season, but only his 15th and 16th RBI’s. Hurtado would open the fourth with a double off the fence, but would not make it to third base thanks to a Serrano pop out, Reardon rolling over to Ramos, and Tony Coca taking aim and strike three, but missing. “Rakin’” Roberts then had the third of three doubles the Coons hit in the bottom 4th; Hereford and Stalker had knocked doubles to rightfield to begin the inning, and they upped the score to 4-0 briefly before Joe Cameron drove in Olszewski with two outs in the fifth. Olszewski had also reached on a long, long double.

But it was not a tight game, which meant Kevin Harenberg was actually dangerous. Marron lost Abel Mora to a leadoff single in the bottom 5th, then walked Nunley, and finally got bludgeoned for a line-closing 3-piece by Harenberg that went into the rightfield stands, 7-1. That brought on the pen, while Roberts lasted seven innings, shedding a second run in the last of the seven when the Crusaders dropped in three straight base hits. That was a run the Raccoons got back in the bottom of the inning, which Nunley opened with a double to left. He ended up scoring on a groundout by Rich Hereford, keeping Portland ahead by six. Fleischer did the eighth, and Garavito handled the ninth even though there wasn’t a necessity to go to a lefty, but the Raccoons eyed their upcoming double header on Monday and would try to have as many relievers available as possible, which required them to not use Kevin Surginer f.e.; 8-2 Coons. Nunley 1-1, 3 BB, 2B; Harenberg 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; Hereford 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI; Roberts 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (7-3) and 1-3, 2B, RBI;

In other news

June 12 – DEN CF/LF Abel Madsen (.280, 10 HR, 39 RBI) might be out until the All Star Game with a strained achilles tendon.
June 12 – TOP LF Pablo Sanchez (.367, 2 HR, 26 RBI) chips in a hit for the 20th straight game, doing so in a 2-1 Buffaloes win over the Titans.
June 12 – The hitting streak of ATL 2B/SS John Johnson (.291, 5 HR, 27 RBI) ends at 21 games after a hitless appearance in a 6-1 loss to the Scorpions.
June 12 – OCT 2B/SS Alex Serrato (.314, 11 HR, 49 RBI) strafes the Cyclones for four hits and five RBI in a 13-4 Thunder win.
June 13 – DAL OF/1B Aaron Botzet (.232, 10 HR, 44 RBI) is expected to be out until the end of July with a torn abdominal muscle.

Complaints and stuff

.500 once more. I don’t even know… the Loggers and Elks are tied for first, which … which is weird, isn’t it? – Chad, put down the toy elk or I will shove it up your –

We will have a seven-game week coming up; actually three straight seven-game weeks, but there’s another day off on Thursday next week. We will play two with the Loggers on Monday. I am playing with the thought of having Sean Rigg start the first game and replace him with a new long man right after the game. Probably not Stonecipher, though; after walking 23 in 23 innings in the majors, the 25-year-old righty has now walked 11 in 6.1 innings in St. Petersburg…

Things are wholly mixed on the farm (and the draft will be in the following report). We have two middling farm teams at AA and A, and one at AAA that gets their bums kicked to a .360 tune. Fringe prospect and outfielder Steve Florence broke his leg this week. It might even grow back together if they can ever clean the wound of infield dirt and little stones.

Fun Fact: Tom Shumway pitched seven innings of 1-run ball in a 3-1 win over the Loggers on April 18.

That remains – in 14 attempts – his only win this year in which he allowed at least one base hit.

This team drives you bat**** crazy.
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