(Intro: Ancient Egypt, steaming summer sun over a pyramid in mid-construction. The construction site is empty.)
Narrator: These Raccoons are brought to you by … Diarrhea – keeping people home from work since 2,460 BC
Raccoons (0-0) @ Loggers (0-0) – April 4-5, 2006
The two worst teams of last year’s CL North face off to start the new season in Milwaukee, with a duo of spectacular left-handers tapped for Opening Day duties.
Projected matchups:
Nick Brown (0-0) vs. Martin Garcia (0-0)
Edgar Amador (0-0) vs. Junior Diaz (0-0)
Game 1
POR: 3B Sharp – CF Fernandez – LF Brady – RF Greenman – 1B Quebell – SS Flores – 2B Nomura – C B. Wood – P Brown
MIL: LF Bayle – 3B Tolwith – RF Hiwalani – SS T. Johnson – 2B B. Hernandez – CF Wheaton – 1B M. Woods – C T: Phillips – P M. Garcia
Through three innings, both teams had one hit, with Bob Wood doubling for the Raccoons, but nobody scored. Then it was Vic Flores to make a critical error in his first game as a Raccoon, putting Tom Johnson on second base in the bottom 4th. Brownie did not have his good stuff ready for the opener, and struggled to remove the next two batters despite going to two strikes. Bartolo Hernandez walked, but Dave Wheaton eventually popped out, and we remained scoreless, at least until Mac Woods’ line drive home run that began the bottom 5th. The lazy Raccoons wouldn’t bother moving their paws in support of their ace until the seventh, which started with a Brady single and a Greenman double, instantly doubling their hits output for the game. Quebell whiffed, but Flores made up for his earlier bobble and lined a double into the rightfield corner that plated both runs and flipped the score in the Coons’ favor. Bad thing was, Brown’s turn to bat came up with two outs and runners on second and third. And we made a move and got Searcy to hit for him, who hit a liner on the first pitch, but more or less right to Jimmy Bayle. Raw Lockburn only allowed a walk to Woods in the bottom 7th, and in the top 8th Garcia was removed as soon as Sharp doubled. They went to Gabriel Garcia, a righty, who walked Brady intentionally, then threw a wild pitch and fell victim to Adrian Quebell’s single to left that scored two instead of one. Up 4-1, Flores made his second error in the bottom 8th to put Ken Wood on base, which put Marcos Bruno into a bad spot, which he worsened himself by drilling Aaron Tolwith. Yet, Bruno struck out Hiwalani, the Coons’ bane for so long, and got out of the inning, and this was also the final rock to climb over for the Coons in the season opener, as Angel Casas fired the Loggers into submission easily in the ninth. 4-1 Brownies!! Brady 1-2, 2 BB; Bowen (PH) 1-1; Brown 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0);
So that was some sick pitching. How sick? Brown’s two hits allowed were all the Loggers managed to put onto the board. Our three relievers were hitless.
33 K to go for 1,000 for a certain left-hander.
Game 2
POR: 3B Sharp – 2B Nomura – LF Brady – 1B Quebell – RF Mays – SS Flores – CF Fernandez – C B. Wood – P Amador
MIL: 2B B. Hernandez – CF Wheaton – RF Hiwalani – SS T. Johnson – LF Bayle – 3B Tolwith – 1B M. Woods – C J. Reyes – P J. Diaz
Pitching ceased, and offense took over. At least the Loggers’ offense. The Fat Cat, who had enjoyed Mama Amador’s pork meals in the offseason, was terribly out of shape, and in the first inning walked Hiwalani and Johnson before allowing doubles to Bayle and Tolwith, falling 3-0 behind in a hurry. By the second inning there was then some light snowfall. The snow would call for occasional delays, but the Raccoons could hardly claim it the source of their troubles. The Loggers had to play in the snow, too. Bottom 2nd, Jesus Reyes got on, and when Bartolo Hernandez hit a single to left, Brady’s throw to home was off, and while Wood got to the ball, the ball also got to him, and devoured him with skin and hair. So, give Hernandez an RBI single, Brady an error, and Wood a new face, and let’s play on!
Amador got walloped for only 2.1 innings before we had enough. By then it was 7-0 for the Loggers. Kaz Kichida replaced him, allowed a single to Junior Diaz, the Loggers sent Reyes around third, but this time Brady’s throw was right where the music played and Reyes was out. Kichida did quite well over three innings but Mac Woods got on in the sixth and with the left-hander Wheaton up, Rémy Lucas came in to pitch. He got Wheaton, but boy, did he not get Hiwalani, whose home run made it 9-0. The Loggers loaded the bases with Critters in the top 7th solely through walks, yet Quebell flew out softly to right and nobody scored. The Raccoons would not score until they were down to their last out, Sharp being retired on a fly to center, but Bob Wood tagging and scoring from third base. 9-1 Loggers. Mays 2-4; Fernandez 1-2, BB; Kichida 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K;
Well, that was ugly. 160 to go.
Raccoons (1-1) vs. Thunder (2-1) – April 7-9, 2006
Although the Thunder were certainly one of the better teams in the CL South, the Raccoons had beaten them 6-3 in both of the last two seasons. Can we get a good jump here?
Projected matchups:
Ralph Ford (0-0) vs. Vaughn Higgins (0-0)
Kenichi Watanabe (0-0) vs. Luis Martinez (0-0)
Kelly Fairchild (0-0) vs. Aaron Anderson (0-0, 1.13 ERA)
Game 1
OCT: LF V. Sanchez – C F. Hernandez – RF Ayers – CF J. Gonzales – 3B H. Castro – 1B T. Cardenas – 2B Heathershaw – SS B. Scott – P Higgins
POR: 3B Sharp – 2B Nomura – LF Brady – 1B Quebell – RF Mays – SS Flores – CF Fernandez – C B. Wood – P Ford
Ford issued one walk in the first, Higgins issued two, nobody scored. Ford struck out the side in the second, and the Coons had two in scoring position with no outs before Higgins struck out the side as well, and still nobody scored. Ford bested Brown’s K output by the third inning, and the Coons left Brady dying on third base in the bottom of that inning, before Felix Hernandez and Jorge Gonzales both hit doubles in the top 4th for a 1-0 Thunder lead. While the Raccoons tied the score in the bottom 4th, the top 5th saw the Thunder put three on with no outs when Cardenas singled, and then Bob Wood made a mind-boggling throwing error on Bradley Heathershaw’s poor grounder, before Ford drilled Burton Scott. While Higgins hit into a run-scoring double play to potentially limit the damage, Ford was taken well deep by Victorino Sanchez to fall behind 4-1. That score was still true in the bottom 7th. Ford’s spot was up first, but Crespo hit for him – yet before that: a rain delay. We’re in Portland after all. An hour later, Crespo doubled as the Thunder brought out their pen. Nomura would double, and Brady came up with an infield single. Now 4-2 behind, Quebell hit a sac fly, and then Bob Mays tripled off Bartolo Gomez and the game was tied and the go-ahead run at third base! Flores sent a low fly to left, where Sanchez came on and caught it – AND DROPPED IT!! Mays scored! Flores to second! And Fernandez singled up the middle, and Flores scored, as John Hatt oversaw that final play from the mound. Suddenly, a 6-4 lead! The top 8th saw Bruno strike out Max Nixon in the #9 hole before Sanchez singled off Moreno. Moreno whiffed Hernandez before we went to Casas, who hung a golden sombrero on Keith Ayers, and then went on to strike out the side in the ninth! 6-4 Coons! Nomura 2-4, BB, 2B; Brady 2-4, BB, 2B; Flores 2-3, BB, 2B; Fernandez 2-4, 2 RBI; Crespo (PH) 1-2, 2B; Ford 7.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W (1-0); Casas 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, SV (2);
Game 2
OCT: LF V. Sanchez – 1B T. Cardenas – C F. Hernandez – 2B Palacios – 3B Heathershaw – CF J. Gonzales – SS Nixon – RF Humphrey – P L. Martinez
POR: SS Flores – CF Fernandez – LF Brady – RF Greenman – 1B Quebell – 2B Nomura – 3B Searcy – C Bowen – P Watanabe
Watanabe was all over the place in the first inning, walked three, struck out three, and somewhere in between surrendered a 2-run homer to Felix Hernandez. The Coons made up a run early, but still trailed 2-1, while the Thunder failed to repeat their early rousing success against Watanabe with more offense. They only managed two hits over the next five innings, not touching him seriously, but when he was done after six (also whiffing six), the score was still much to his disadvantage. Then Fernandez hit a leadoff double in the bottom 6th. Clyde Brady came up, and came through, a 2-run home run, the first for the Raccoons on the year! Top 8th, Marcos Bruno let Bradley Heathershaw on base with an infield single, but remained in the driver’s seat and struck out PH Antonio De La Parra to end the inning. Still 3-2 after the sorry performance in the bottom 8th, Angel Casas was called on to save it, but only faced one batter, striking out Vonne Calzado, but on that final pitch limped off the mound, then sat down on the grass while the trainer rushed out and I had a mild stroke in my office overlooking the park. We had burned through our bullpen at such a rapid pace, using three men in the seventh, that by now only Rockburn and Kichida were left available, and Rockburn it was. He walked Victorino Sanchez with two down (and we couldn’t seem to get him out much at all), but then struck out Tomas Cardenas to save this one. 3-2 Coons. Brady 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Quebell 2-3, RBI;
Angel Casas – strikes out seven of his first eight batters on the year, then suffers a calf strain and goes to the DL. We expect him to miss the rest of this month.
While Marcos Bruno will take over closing duties, we called up Adam Riddle from AAA, where the season hadn’t even started yet.
We’re 3-1, yet I want to cry.
Game 3
OCT: LF V. Sanchez – 1B T. Cardenas – C F. Hernandez – 2B Palacios – SS B. Scott – CF J. Gonzales – 3B Nixon – RF Ayers – P A. Anderson
POR: 3B Sharp – 2B Nomura – LF Brady – 1B Quebell – RF Mays – SS Flores – CF Crespo – C Wood – P Fairchild
For the second day in a row, Clyde Brady gave the Coons a lead with an extra base hit, this time a first-inning, Sharp-scoring triple, but this time it didn’t hold up. While the Thunder were no better scoring on a walky Fairchild than on a walky Watanabe, they eventually got a triple of their own from Keith Ayers with one out in the fifth to put that tying run awfully close. Anderson singled, 1-1, and when Sanchez singled up the middle (seriously, we can’t get him out!), J.C. Crespo axed down Anderson at third base with a very accurate throw, and Cardenas grounded out so we could hold a tie for the moment. The Furballs tumbled on, with Fairchild insisting on pitching in on Felix Hernandez’ hands for a nasty sound and an injury replacement at catcher for the road team, and was yanked with runners on the corners and two out in the sixth. Kaz retired Max Nixon, two more in the seventh, and when Ed Bryan was brought in to face Sanchez, he walked him (…), but then got Cardenas. We had to pitch Adam Riddle in the eighth in order to have something available in a potential save situation in the ninth, and if not for Clyde Brady making two stupendously wonderful catches in the inning, the Thunder would have busted through the door. Instead the Thunder didn’t score, neither did the Coons despite a leadoff walk by Brady and two men on in the bottom 8th, and Rémy Lucas pitched the ninth and tenth, which of course included an instance of Victorino Sanchez roaming the bases (but ending up held on third in the latter inning), and also the rather surprising instance of the scoreboard lighting up after a Vonne Calzado single in the ninth to alert everybody to the 38-year old’s 3,000th career base hit.
In turn, we left Brady on second in the bottom 10th. After squeezing an inning out of Rockburn, who had gotten into all games but one this week, we faced Jimmy Morey, so we could forget about offense for a while. Moreno did the 12th, but tired quickly in the 13th (appearing in all games in this series), and hit Jesus Palacios with two out. Marcos Bruno was the only proper reliever left, but we also still had Edgar Amador, who had thrown only 66 pitches in his horrendous outing on Wednesday, and he was called onto here. His first pitch was taken to deep left by Bradley Heathershaw for a run-scoring double, and Morey was still in that game… Quebell hit a 1-out single, which prompted a PR appearance from Yoshi Yamada. Everybody in the league knew what Yamada would be up to. Morey fell 2-0 on Amador, then got a strike looking. On the 2-1, Yamada got the go sign, went, Amador flailed, but De La Parra only watched as Yamada was already sliding into second base. And he went again on the next pitch as Amador grounded out, but was safe at third and Vic Flores’ responsibility. Flores singled up the middle, and this game was TIED!
It remained tied, and Amador remained on the mound. Max Nixon was at second with two out in the 14th and Sanchez batting. With Cardenas batting .167 behind him, Sanchez was walked intentionally, but Cardenas livened up an 0-5 day with an RBI single. Turns out, no strategy could overcome Amador’s pitching.
Bottom 14th, Morey in his fourth inning of work, Wood made the first out, before Greenman doubled, but hurt his hand sliding into second base and had to come out, which was terrible, since all that was left on the bench was backup catcher Craig Bowen. But well, first we had to re-tie Amador’s mess. Sharp plopped out poorly, lowering his average to toddler’s weight, but Nomura singled up the middle, Bowen a poor runner, sent for home against Sanchez’ arm, and he – is – SAFE!!! WE’RE TIED AGAIN!! And Morey’s next pitch to Brady was wild, moving Nomura into scoring position, but Brady couldn’t help but walk, and Yamada grounded out. And the band played on.
We now had Bowen catch, moved Wood to first base, Flores back to short, and had the agile, wide-ranging Yamada play centerfield, while moving Crespo to right. Amador still couldn’t throw a decent pitch, Palacios reached leading off the 15th, but was left at third by his team, which now carried only two above-.250 batters in the lineup. Then, Amador led off the bottom 15th with a single, but was never moved, yet struck out the side, including Sanchez(!), in the top 16th. The first look was treacherous however, for Amador quickly set the game on fire again in the 17th. Cardenas walked, and De La Parra singled, runners on the corners, no outs, yet that lead runner was now relief pitcher John Hatt after Cardenas had also jammed something sliding in. But it was either Bruno or losing now, so we called on Marcos, with Nick Brown being sent to the bullpen to get warm. Bruno struck out Palacios (golden sombrero there), but was then hit by Heathershaw with an RBI double, that put the Thunder up for the third time in extras, and the second time by Heathershaw’s bat. They only got that one run, however, and that hadn’t done them any good the last two times. Yet now Brady was leading off and Bruno was third to bat in the bottom 17th, and nobody left to save his furry butt.
Yet – the Thunder now had playing John Hatt at first base, Heathershaw at short, and an ancient Vonne Calzado in right – all defensive liabilities. Bartolo Gomez was in his third inning of relief, and allowed a leadoff single to Brady. Yamada was up and grounded to first and Hatt COMPLETELY blew the play and failed to toss to Palacios covering first in due time: Yamada was safe, and Bruno held a bat. The thing was, Marcos was not a good bunter, at all. As late inning reliever he hardly ever took batting practice. So we told him to swing away! An inspiring at-bat developed between Gomez and Bruno, which ended with a full count, Bruno putting a slow roller into play, and De La Parra unable to play it in time – all hands were safe, and NO OUTS! And with Yamada at second base, any soft single will win this game! So it was clear that Flores would ground out to Palacios, who went home to dismiss Brady, which now put a terrible runner on second. Next, Crespo, batting 0-7, and putting a 3-1 pitch into play to left, Nixon lunging, THROUGH!! But Bruno had no chance to score and the bases remained loaded, now in a tie game, in the bottom 17th on very early Monday morning. Oh look, Bob Wood, also 0-7 on the day. His poor bloop to left was easily snagged by Sanchez, and Bowen grounded out to Palacios – and we still had to play on.
Top 18th, Calzado led off with a double, but Gomez’ bunt was terrible and Bruno took it to nail Calzado at third. Gomez, one of a dozen relievers now in play, stole second base against Bowen, moved to third on Sanchez’ groundout, and was left there when John Hatt couldn’t connect soundly. That would be it for Bruno, and unless we could walk off in the bottom of this inning, Nick Brown would makes his first relief appearance in four years.
And since all the Coons amounted to in the bottom 18th was a deep fly out by Brady, Brownie appeared in the 19th. He would be a tough mountain to climb for the decimated Thunder, striking out a pair in the 19th, then allowing a single to some guy or other (even the official scorer had snoozed off by now), but Bowen threw out the runner when he tried to steal in the 20th. Bottom 20th, a meek uprising as Jason Long allowed 2-out singles to Bowen and Sharp, bringing up Nomura against the southpaw. A ball here, a strike there, the count ran full before Nomura swatted a pitch to deep right. Would old Vonne get this one!? He sure tried!! But he would not be able to get it, for it was GOOOOONNNEEE!!!!
7-4 Brownies? Nomura 3-10, HR, 4 RBI; Brady 2-6, 3 BB, 3B, RBI; Quebell 3-5, BB; Lucas 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Bruno 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K and 1-1; Brown 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, W (2-0);
The game ended 1:16am Pacific.
In other news
April 7 – The Condors place CF Ramón Perez (.231, 0 HR, 0 RBI) on the DL with patellar tendinitis. He should be good after the minimum 15 days.
April 7 – 34-year old SFW Santiago Chavez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) fires a 3-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over the Capitals.
April 9 – In the 20-inning marathon in Portland that his Thunder lose 7-4, OCT RF Vonne Calzado (.500, 0 HR, 2 RBI) hits a ninth inning single off Rémy Lucas for his 3,000th career base hit. The 16-year veteran has been around since being the Thunder’s 1985 first round pick, also playing for Washington, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, and Vancouver, taking a ring with the Capitals in ’97. For his career, he has batted .333 with 141 HR and 1,195 RBI, and he has won two batting titles (1994, 2000), was the 1990 CL ROTY, and was to six All Star games. His 3,001 career hits are fifth-most overall, and second-most among active players (trailing Cristo Ramirez’ 3,361).
April 9 – PIT CL Paco Barrera (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SV) closes the door on the Stars in a 4-1 victory, notching his 300th career save.
April 9 – TOP OF Javier Gusmán (.333, 1 HR, 5 RBI) will miss a month with a sprained ankle.
Complaints and stuff
A 20-inning game in which a guy gets his 3,000th hit? How often has that happened before! Complete box score for this mess:
20 inning bonanza here!
Dare I say though that I have no idea how we are supposed to make it through the next ten straight days with a game on? F.e. we blew out Monday’s and Tuesday’s starter. We can’t make it without getting at least one kid up from AAA, which means we have to DL Greenman with his battered hand. He would be unable to play for one week or so, but then we have to make it two weeks to get the roster spot. Felipe Garcia cleared waivers. Anybody up for him?
We also went to 137-127 all time against the Thunder, which works out to .519 and has them replace the Indians as CL team we have the best all time record against.
CL's Player of the Week? How about Freddy Rosa of the Titans. Yeah, that guy.
We resigned MR Scott Boone, who became a minor league free agent at the end of last year and was not picked up by anybody. He was reassigned to AAA.