[Westheim]

Raccoons (58-46) @ Condors (55-50) – August 3-5, 2026

Both these teams were roughly a handful of games back in their division and could not afford losing anymore ground. Both had also already lost some ground playing against each other previously this season, with the season series locked at three wins per team. The Condors had a slow offense, with the third-worst batting average and the fifth-fewest runs in the Continental League, but their pitching was ready to press the next pillow onto the Coons' little snouts, sitting third in runs conceded. They even had the second-best rotation.

Projected matchups:
Rico Gutierrez (10-4, 3.50 ERA) vs. Jeff Little (9-6, 2.62 ERA)
Mark Roberts (9-7, 3.01 ERA) vs. Adam Potter (8-10, 4.71 ERA)
Kyle Anderson (7-6, 3.52 ERA) vs. Alex Hichez (7-6, 3.14 ERA)

Little was their lone left-hander with Luis Flores on the DL, where he had spent most of this season just like the one before.

Game 1
POR: SS Ramos – LF Spencer – CF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – RF Gerace – 2B Stalker – C O'Dell – 3B Nunley – P Gutierrez
TIJ: 2B B. Rojas – C Sanford – 1B McGrath – 3B Sanks – LF O. Larios – RF M. Matias – SS Muller – CF Chaplin – P Little

Portland got on the board in the first with a bouncer by Ramos that got through Kevin McGrath somehow for a soft leadoff double, then ultimately two groundouts after that. Harenberg got the RBI after Jamieson had walked. Unfortunately, Rico Gutierrez was very much back down to earth after consecutive shutouts a few starts ago and completely lacked aim to begin this game. After having walked only 17 batters in 138.2 innings this year, he walked three the first time through. Only timely double play grounders and bringing up the pitcher with Scavengers aboard saved him in the first two innings. So it was on the offense! Oh bother… Nah, actually the Coons focused on Little well, adding three runs in the third inning. Granted, two were unearned when Rico Gutierrez reached base on a McGrath error to begin the frame. After that, Ramos walked, Spencer grounded out, Jamieson singled in two, then scored himself on Justin Gerace's 2-out double over the head of Omar Larios. The Condors would get on the board as well before long with a leadoff jack by Shane Sanks in the bottom 4th, but the second time through Rico actually looked a wee bit better…

The offense didn't, despite the 4-1 lead that Rico nursed through six. While they got Jeff Little out by the top of the sixth, they only actually logged four base hits against him. That was the same total that the Condor would log off Gutierrez in 6.1 innings, but they also got into a great spot against him in the bottom 7th after a leadoff walk to Mike Matias, who stole second and then scored on John Muller's single to right. Gutierrez whiffed Mike Chaplin, a left-handed bat, before the Condors sent Brody Folk, their recent acquisition, in the pitcher's spot. That was the tying run, and it was time to mix and match with a righty. Kevin Surginer appeared, allowed an RBI single, disappeared, and Billy Brotman took over, ending the inning on two grounders. The lead was now down to 4-3, and the Raccoons hadn't been seen on base in a while. Ricky Ohl would retire the middle of the order in order in the eighth, but the offense remained dead from the waste up and got no base hits against the Condors' pen at all. Jonathan Snyder was left to his own devices in the bottom 9th, where Matias went to second base as the tying run right away, although it wasn't Snyder's fault; Alberto Ramos had thrown away Matias' grounder. Muller popped out to Spencer, Chaplin walked on four pitches, and then Danny Zarate flew out to right, moving the tying run to third base. Switch-hitter Dave Bross came to the plate, batting .286 with one homer. Like Matias before, he put the first pitch into play and hit it to a middle infielder. Unlike Ramos earlier, Tim Stalker kept his calm and threw easily to Harenberg to end the game. 4-3 Coons.

Here's something – a win for the Coons and not one player with a good stat line. Not one! Way to have a 6-game winning streak…

Game 2
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – CF Mora – LF Gerace – C Tovias – 3B Nunley – P Roberts
TIJ: 2B B. Rojas – C Sanford – 1B McGrath – 3B Sanks – LF O. Larios – RF M. Matias – SS Bross – CF Denzler – P Potter

Offense remained slow. Through five innings, the Coons built a 2-0 lead while Roberts was nursing a 2-hitter. Both Portland runs were scored by Matt Nunley, who singled to lead off the third inning and again with one out in the fifth, was bunted over by Roberts each time and then scored on a Spencer double and a Ramos single, respectively, both times with two down. So far, so well, but the general lack of clutch elsewhere in the order was coming back to bite in due time. The Coons had Harenberg and Mora on with singles in the sixth inning, but Gerace whiffed and Tovias flew out gingerly to rightfielder Mike Matias to end that inning before the Condors opened the bottom 6th with consecutive doubles by Pat Sanford in the gap in left-center and then McGrath to due left, which placed the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Sanks' pop over home plate, Larios' fly to left, and a K to Matias kept him right where he was, but the Coons really needed an add-on run. Top 7th, Nunley worked a leadoff walk, then was bunted over by Roberts again. Oh, here comes the goodness! Ramos was walked intentionally once more, after which Spencer grounded up the middle. Dave Bross cut off the ball way deep behind second base, but had no play; the bags were full on the infield single with one out for Kevin Harenberg, who was a .261 batter with 2 RBI from his first 23 at-bats as a Critter. It was time! To hit into a double play. Piss poor grounder to the pitcher, Potter to Sanford to McGrath, with enough time for the Condors to pick in the sad Mark Roberts' intestines in between outs.

Roberts retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning, whiffing seven in seven, and was more or less done on pitch count. The Raccoons opened the eighth with a Kopp double between Larios and Denzler, then a walk (intentional) to Mora and another walk (unintentional) to Gerace. Nobody out, so maybe NOW? Elias Matias Tovias Diaz said no, flying out to Larios in shallow left. Nunley? Fly to left, Larios back for the catch, but that was at least deep enough for Kopp to dally home, 3-1. Cookie Carmona came out to bat for Roberts, cracked a single to left, and Mora scored from second base, 4-1. Ramos walked the bags full against Tony Harrell, but Spencer struck out to end the inning. The Condors would not reach base again, sat down by Hector Morales (1 out), Ricky Ohl (2), and Jonathan Snyder (3). 4-1 Critters. Spencer 2-5, 2B, RBI; Harenberg 2-5, 2B; Mora 2-4, BB; Nunley 2-2, BB, RBI; Carmona (PH) 1-1, RBI; Roberts 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, W (10-7);

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – CF Mora – LF Gerace – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – P Anderson
TIJ: SS B. Rojas – C Zarate – 1B McGrath – 3B Sanks – RF M. Matias – CF Denzler – LF Chaplin – 2B Muller – P Hichez

Both teams got a run in the early going, with the Condors taking their first lead in the series with a Shane Sanks sac fly that brought in Bob Rojas in the first inning. The Coons equalized in the third, but that required a leadoff single by Anderson AND a wild pitch in the inning to allow Harenberg to get the run in on a grounder. The tie would be broken by Tovias with a leadoff jack in the fifth and that after the Condors had clearly shown what they thought of him in the second inning, when they had pitched to him with Mora in scoring position and two outs and Tovias had grounded out in his usual pathetic way. Not this time – the homer to right-center put the Coons up 2-1. The inning progressed to see Ramos and Spencer single and go to the corners, then Harenberg smacking into a double play. The trades I do!

Tovias was walked intentionally the next time around, then in the sixth to load the bags with one out. Nunley had just hit an RBI single to score Terry Kopp, who had opened the inning with a leadoff double off Hichez, who so far had allowed seven hits, four walks, and had enjoyed some good luck. The Raccoons were tempted to bat for Anderson here to create offense, but the bullpen situation was a concern, with neither Ohl nor Snyder available. And truth be told, if some dork hits into a double play, it can at least be the pitcher… and so he did, on a 3-1 pitch. AH!! COONS!!

Top 7th, Ramos led off with a hard single to rightfield, then stole his 26th bag of the season. Spencer singled right to Matias' feet, keeping Ramos at third base, but then also stole second base, his 20th robbery of the year. Harenberg was now walked intentionally to bring up Kopp with three on and nobody out. Terry. Please! To the Condors' great dismay, no double play, but to my chagrin, an out at home as Kopp bounced one back to the pitcher. Hichez then bowed out with a bases-loaded walk to Mora, Gerace struck out against lefty Bobby Thompson, with O'Dell batting for Nunley now, but O'Dell popped out to strand three… Meanwhile Anderson retired nobody in the bottom 7th, allowing a leadoff homer to Sanks, 4-2, then walked Matias. With left-handers up, the Coons made the change to Josh Boles, who got a 3-U double play when Matias was a-running as Joel Denzler lined a 1-2 pitch into Harenberg's glove and the runner was caught far off base and just gave himself up and walked right into the glove without Harenberg having to move a lot. Surginer did away with the Condors in the eighth, getting the Coons within three outs of a sweep and an 8-game winning streak. There was an insurance run on a Kopp solo home run in the top 9th, then more Surginer in the bottom 9th. The 2-3-4 batters were up, all right-handed, and Alvin Smith was the only available right-handed alternative. Billy Brotman was readying in the pen in case the Condors tried something funny with left-handed batters. Or in case Surginer ****ed up. Zarate – leadoff double. McGrath – RBI double. BROTMAN! BROTMAN NOW!! That didn't make things better… Brotman survived a deep fly to center by Sanks for the first out, then conceded Surginer's second run on a Matias single. The winning run came up in PH Brody Folk. Brotman had nothing – but Folk softly lined out to Ramos, two down. Maybe after all? There was nobody to bat for left-hander Mike Chaplin as the Coons now sent Alvin Smith to warm up after all. He would not get into the game, but not for a walkoff jack. Chaplin instead grounded out to Spencer. 5-4 Coons. Ramos 2-4, BB; Spencer 2-5; Kopp 2-5, HR, 2B, RBI; Mora 0-1, 4 BB;

Mora walked four times – and never scored.

Raccoons (61-46) vs. Titans (54-53) – August 6-9, 2026

Four games with Boston, who were in free fall and their string of four consecutive championships looked like it was going to end. They were 12 1/2 games behind the damn Elks, and that number was growing rapidly as they had won only FOUR games since the All Star Game (4-15 in total), all this despite them still ranging in the top half of the league in terms of runs scored and runs allowed and a +41 run differential that hinted at a team better than .500. But then this was no comparison to the teams of years past that had often chased +200 at this point. Key injuries to f.e. Adrian Reichardt were also part of the equation. Nevertheless, they still held a 4-3 edge over Portland this season.

Projected matchups:
Dan Delgadillo (7-3, 2.39 ERA) vs. Julio San Pedro (4-6, 3.39 ERA)
Rin Nomura (3-3, 2.47 ERA) vs. Jeremy Waite (9-8, 4.13 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (11-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. Morgan Shepherd (6-5, 4.02 ERA)
Mark Roberts (10-7, 2.93 ERA) vs. Dustin Wingo (6-8, 4.26 ERA)

Again only one left-handed opponent, and this time at the tail end of the series, with Wingo going on Sunday. We'd miss unlucky bastard Guillermo Regalado (6-9, 2.78 ERA).

Game 1
BOS: CF W. Vega – C Leonard – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – SS Jam. Wilson – 2B R. West – 1B Elder – 3B Corder – P San Pedro
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – CF Mora – 3B Nunley – LF Carmona – C O'Dell – P Delgadillo

Dan Delgadillo was cast into the abyss immediately in a horrendous first inning that saw a leadoff walk to Willie Vega, a single by Keith Leonard, then even a double play hit into by Yasuhiro Kuramoto, and somehow Delgadillo still managed to give up a 3-spot with potential for more. Adam Braun's single put Boston 1-0 on top, and then Jamie Wilson homered to dead center. Rhett West singled, Jay Elder singled, somehow Ramos got paws on Adam Corder's grounder to end the inning, but things looked not great for the Coons' winning streak and the Titans playing more .200 ball. Wilson hit another home run in the third inning, this one a solo deed, which put him at three for the year, and two thirds of those in this very game… Delgadillo limped through five innings, which was going to be all, not only for the 101 pitches thrown (most of them unimpressive) but also for his spot coming up to bat with two outs in the bottom 5th. After lots of nothing, the Coons had just scored their first run on a Cookie single and O'Dell doubling down the rightfield line. Momentum! Gerace struck out in his spot. There was no momentum. There was probably not even a god… The Titans pulled the run right back in the sixth with lots of hard balls against Alvin Smith, who was lucky to elope with only one run scored against him, before the bottom 6th saw one of those juicy chances. Leadoff walk for Ramos. Spencer reached on an error. Then a Harenberg single. Three on, no outs. But I was no longer the fool. They wouldn't score plenty, they probably would not score at all. Terry Kopp flew out to shallow right, nobody daring to run on Braun. Mora chopped a grounder to Rhett West for a double play. Told ya. They kept teasing though. Bottom 7th, Cookie with a 1-out single, then an error by San Pedro to put O'Dell on. Jamieson batted for Morales in the #9 hole, popped out, and Ramos grounded out to West. Bottom 8th, leadoff singles by Spencer and Harenberg put the tying run in the on-deck circle before Kopp was going to move him back to the dugout with another grounder right at West. This time, though, West's lob to short got away from Jamie Wilson. The Titans got nobody, and the Coons got three on with nobody out again. Hah, funny, like that ever got them anywhere nice. San Pedro allowed a sac fly to Mora before yielding for Matt Rosenthal, who walked Nunley on four pitches. With Cookie the go-ahead run, and facing lefty Mike Stank, the tired crowd got to their feet once more and clapped and chanted politely. Cookie hit into a double play to damn Rhett West, and the crowd started to leave shortly after that. Those that left missed the tying run coming up once more in the bottom 9th against Harry Merwin. Ramos drew a 2-out walk, stole second, then scored on Spencer's single. That made the still homerless Harenberg the tying run. Harenberg had four hits in the game, which the baseball gods deemed enough and made him ground out to Gil Cornejo on first base. 5-3 Titans. Spencer 2-5, RBI; Harenberg 4-5; Boles 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K;

Game 2
BOS: CF W. Vega – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – 2B R. West – 3B Corder – SS Spataro – 1B Gasso – C Gio. James – P Waite
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – RF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – CF Mora – LF Gerace – 3B Bullock – C Tovias – P Nomura

In a first inning that saw both teams have a middle infielder drop an easy ball (Spencer and Keith Spataro being guilty), the Coons got a 2-0 run lead on Ramos singling, stealing, advancing on a wild pitch, and scoring on Spencer's groundout in but short a time, then Matt Jamieson boinking one over the fence in leftfield. Harenberg and Gerace reached base to no avail when Bullock struck out. Bottom 2nd, leadoff single for Tovias past Gus Gasso, and he advanced on a bunt and Ramos' single, then scored on Giovanni James' throwing error when Ramos tried to swipe another base. Tovias in, Ramos to third with one out, and Spencer's sac fly made it 4-0. Waite reached complete unhingement as early as the third inning with base knocks by Mora and Gerace to begin the inning. While Bullock flew out to center, Tovias ripped a 2-run double up the rightfield line, Waite loaded them up with walks to Nomura and Ramos, then served another gopher ball to Spencer for a bases-clearing double. With that, it was 9-0 Coons, adieu to Waite, and right-hander Dustin Cory saw Jamieson reach base on Corder's error. Not the Titans' game! Harenberg grounded out, keeping the Coons out of double digits for the moment. At this point, Rin Nomura could pretty much do whatever and still win the game… although Elias Tovias' gross throwing error in the fourth inning put two Titans in scoring position that were then singled in by Spataro to cut the gap to 9-2. Those runs were unearned, but the runs that scored on Rhett West's 2-out double off the fence in the fifth inning were not; Willie Vega had doubled, Adam Braun had been nailed. Now it was 9-4, then 9-5 after Corder's single to right. Corder stole second, Spataro ripped a single to right, and Corder scored, too.

Yeah, me and my big mouth. After a 9-run lead, Nomura failed to go five and was yanked for Surginer, who got a grounder to short from Gasso to end the inning, but allowed another run in the sixth on a Vega double and Kuramoto single. The tying runs would be on with two outs in the seventh inning after Surginer had allowed Corder and Gasso aboard. Billy Brotman replaced him and whiffed Giovanni James to get out of that mess. The offense had obviously switched off mentally after pulling out by nine and was no big help, being hardly present at all in the middle innings. 2-out singles by Tovias and Kopp (who had entered with Brotman in a double switch at Mora's expense) were the first significant threat by the Coons since Jeremy Waite had last been seen alive, but Ramos grounded out to his opposite, Spataro, to end the inning. The Titans put them on the corners in the eighth against Brotman, who walked PH Jay Elder, who was then run for by Fernando Rodriguez, and Ohl, who allowed a single to Kuramoto, but somehow the Coons' defense kept the board closed. Spencer made a strong play on Braun to help Ohl out of the inning. This bollocks game was then also the perfect opportunity for Kevin Harenberg to FINALLY hit one out as a Coon, hitting a solo shot off Javy Salomon in the bottom 8th, getting the Coons into double digits FINALLY. Snyder was in the ninth, allowing a leadoff single to Corder. Spataro however spanked a grounder at Spencer, who turned two, and then Gus Gasso went down on strikes as the Coons eeked out a win to even the series. 10-7 Critters. Ramos 2-4; Spencer 1-4, 2B, 5 RBI; Gerace 2-4; Tovias 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Kopp 1-1;

Oh boys oh boys oh boys oh why… I mean, 9-0, and you still managed to drain the pen!?

Woof.

There was a roster move after this game. Hector Morales returned to St. Petersburg despite his best efforts as the Coons brought back Jeff Kearney from a dominant rehab assignment.

Game 3
BOS: SS Spataro – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – 2B R. West – 1B Elder – 3B Corder – CF F. Rodriguez – C Leonard – P Shepherd
POR: SS Ramos – LF Carmona – CF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – 2B Stalker – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – P Gutierrez

Rico allowed hard contact to the first few batters, all right-handers, with Spataro and Braun getting to the corners after base hits, but got a shallow fly out from West and whiffed Elder to escape the inning. The K to Elder was the first of four straight for him, so he would maybe be fine after all as the Coons really longed for a good long outing by their starter. Rico also hit a leadoff single in the bottom 3rd which was followed by Shepherd losing Ramos and Jamieson on balls while he did strike out Cookie. When Harenberg popped it up and Corder registered the second out I began to look for the Kool-Aid, but Shepherd lost Kopp in a full count to push home the first run of the game, then allowed a 2-run single to Stalker to put Rico 3-0 ahead. Maybe, just maybe… we'd be fine?

Bollocks! Adam Braun hit a monster shot to begin the fourth, well outta dead center, to cut the gap to 3-1, then Harenberg mishandled Ramos' good throw to put West on with an error. Elder singled, assembling the tying runs aboard, there was a wild pitch, and there was also a 2-run double by Keith Leonard with two outs and first base open… Two runs were unearned, and it was just getting a bit too easy to blame everything on Harenberg, who continued to be of no more use than… oh… R.J. DeWeese after his first year?

When Nunley singled and Tovias walked with two outs in the sixth, Rico – on 96 pitches – was reluctantly hit for against Shepherd, who was on four hits, six walks, and somehow still went on. Abel Mora grounded right at Spataro for the third out and the game remained deadlocked at three through six innings. The Coons squeezed through the seventh with Jeff Kearney despite Leonard's leadoff single, then got Ramos on base with a leadoff walk issued by Salomon in the bottom 7th. Throughout the series, Ramos had stolen bases at will against the Titans, getting up to 29 for the season, so they were definitely going to watch for that now. The hit-and-run was called instead, with Ramos moving up to second as Cookie grounded out. Jamieson whiffed, Harenberg grounded out pathetically with Leonard making the play, and nothing good could ever happen to this team. Harenberg was then purged in a double switch to get Alvin Smith to pitch multiple innings, which was almost guaranteed to lead to disaster. Leadoff walk to Kuramoto, another walk to Wilson, then a West singled. Three on, no outs. I closed my eyes. Jay Elder singled home two, which was actually all the Titans got, but it was still more than the Coons got with three on and no outs if they got into that spot in three consecutive innings. They would not get into that situation in the last two innings. In fact, they did not get on base at all… 5-3 Titans. Nunley 2-4;

Game 4
BOS: SS Spataro – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – 1B Elder – 3B Corder – CF F. Rodriguez – 2B Jam. Wilson – C Leonard – P Wingo
POR: LF Spencer – CF Jamieson – C O'Dell – 1B Kopp – RF Gerace – 2B Stalker – 3B Nunley – SS Bullock – P Roberts

Spencer singled for his 150th hit of the season right in the bottom of the first, stole second base, reached third on Leonard's throwing error, then was cashed in by Jamieson with a sac fly. None of this mattered because Mark Roberts got battered in the top of the second inning. Elder and Corder hit singles to left, Rodriguez hit an RBI double into the gap in right-center, there was a walk to Leonard, and with the bags full Dustin Wingo hit an RBI single up the middle to put Boston 2-1 on top. Spataro flew out to Gerace, but deep enough to get a run in, 3-1, Kuramoto doubled in a pair by beating Jamieson in center, and then Braun reached on an infield single. The inning just wasn't going to end, ever. No, actually Elder flew out to Gerace after that, but the game was lost regardless with a 5-1 score. Maybe they'd tease a little, but they surely wouldn't dig this one out with their gross ineptitude.

And even their teases were weak or required major help by the Titans. O'Dell hit a leadoff single in the bottom 4th after which little happened until Stalker was clumsily walked by Wingo. Nunley's grounder was then botched into an error by Jamie Wilson, loading them up for … Bullock. He fell to 0-2, put the ball in play somehow, but of course Corder had easy pickings on that grounder and played it for the third out. Roberts after the early shellacking at least at the decency to make it through six in completely unimpressive fashion. There was no excuse for the offense, who through six innings amounted to all of three base hits. Daniel Bullock would get their fourth hit in the bottom 7th, a 2-out infield single. Nothing came of it. 5-1 Titans. Stalker 1-2, BB, 2B; Surginer 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

In other news

August 4 – ATL SP Leon Hernandez (4-8, 3.67 ERA) has a no-hitter through 8.1 innings against the Loggers when RF Sam Owens (.281, 1 HR, 1 RBI) hits a home run – the first of his career! – to end Hernandez' night. ATL MR Freddy Heredia (1-4, 2.05 ERA, 1 SV) replaces Hernandez immediately and brings the 2-1 Knights win to conclusion.
August 4 – While the Aces rout the Indians, 12-0, LVA OF/1B Danny Serrano (.347, 9 HR, 51 RBI) raps out four base hits, including two dingers, and drives in five runs.
August 6 – SFW CL Ken Gautney (3-3, 2.61 ERA, 33 SV) has just entered the Warriors' game against the Scorpions in the bottom 11th when he allows Sacramento to walk off on a wild pitch to John Byrd (.273, 2 HR, 56 RBI) that scores OF/1B Chris Barnes (.217, 2 HR, 10 RBI) from third base.
August 7 – VAN SP Warren Polito (12-7, 2.78 ERA) 2-hits the Crusaders in a 4-0 Canadiens win.
August 7 – CIN 3B/SS Ricardo Rangel (.315, 2 HR, 48 RBI) goes 5-for-5 with two doubles and as many RBI in a 7-6 loss to the Buffaloes.
August 7 – Pacifics and Gold Sox play 17 innings before L.A. pull through with a run in the top 17th to take a 4-3 win. LAP SP/MR Tom Grant (7-4, 4.18 ERA, 2 SV) earns the victory with four scoreless innings of relief.
August 9 – The only tally in the Wolves' 1-0 win over the Stars is LF/RF Matt Owen (.289, 19 HR, 71 RBI) hitting a walkoff homer off DAL SP Jonas Mejia (9-10, 4.28 ERA). It is only the second hit allowed by Mejia in the game.

Complaints and stuff

****ing **** week. Even when they won they continued to play like old, stale arse. And that was before they met the Titans again. 28-55 in the last five seasons. This team spots something blue, drops some scat, and is never seen again, every single ****ing time.

Re Sunday and the infield single and the general motion of "Nothing came of it" – that will also be the sentence following the statement that the Raccoons began the 2026 season at 32-15 once the season makes it into the history books. What a loser bunch. Disgusting.

Fun Fact: On October 4, 1986, the Raccoons' Christopher Powell got a double play from the Titans' Isto Grönholm to end the season finale with a 3-0 shutout win over Boston.

That was of course "Old Chris" Powell's last career start, a 4-hit shutout of the Titans. 40 years later, still golden!

Offense was sketchy back then as well. Powell drove in the first run himself. Kelly Weber would later score on a Kinji Kan error. Tetsu Osanai had an RBI double in the seventh, plating Armando Sanchez with his 121st RBI of the year, a mark still good for third-highest in Coons history, but then a franchise record, trumping Mark Dawson's 119 from '83.

Oh, '83.

By the way, you know how 1986 ended, right? The damn Elks won the North, 102-60, 15 ahead of the second-place Coons. No other North team had a winning record. At least they lost in seven to the Knights in the CLCS, which is not a likely scenario this year.