[Westheim]

Raccoons (71-71) vs. Indians (65-77) – September 10-13, 2035

Half a game out of first, the Raccoons got the last-place Indians, who funnily enough (or miserably enough) had yet to be decisively eliminated from postseason contention despite being only five losses removed from a sub-.500 season. The season series was even at seven. Indy was in the bottom four in runs scored and had surrendered the most runs in the CL.

Projected matchups:
Gilberto Rendon (12-7, 2.96 ERA) vs. Josh Walsh (12-9, 2.97 ERA)
Colt Willes (11-10, 3.62 ERA) vs. Jim Kretzmann (7-15, 5.20 ERA)
Josh Livingston (6-2, 2.22 ERA) vs. Mike Burris (5-8, 3.38 ERA)
Darren Brown (3-2, 3.64 ERA) vs. Arnie Terwilliger (10-13, 4.76 ERA)

As before, Terwilliger was their only southpaw. We could also see Andy Bressner (12-10, 4.41 ERA), who was day-to-day with an oblique issue.

Justin Fowler STILL had a cranky neck and was not ready to get back into the lineup full time…

Game 1
IND: RF P. Sanchez – 2B Schneller – CF Baron – LF Garbinski – 3B Hutson – 1B I. Pena – C J. Herrera – SS Benito – P J. Walsh
POR: SS Ramos – CF M. Fernandez – C Morales – LF Wallace – 1B Maldonado – 3B Zeltser – 2B Stalker – RF Hooge – P Rendon

Josh Garbinski doubled home Dan Schneller for a quick Indians run in the top of the first, but the Raccoons got the tying run on a wild pitch in the second inning when Walsh missed the target with Jimmy Wallace on third base and two outs. Berto and Wallace hit leadoff singles in the first and second, respectively, Maldonado even added another one in the latter inning, and then both efforts were largely ruined by a double play grounder. Portland only took the lead in the fourth when Bob Zeltser ripped a big 2-out, 2-run triple, scoring Fernandez and Wallace with a ball into the rightfield corner. Both teams left runners on the corners in the fifth, with Schneller striking out for Indy while Morales popped out to Hutson with Berto and Fernandez on the corners, and while I was pacing nervously up and down in front of the big window.

Reasons for that were plenty, because the Indians could all too easily play spoilers, Rendon was not overly dominant and missed a lot of locations and ran up his pitch count, and the Raccoons in general seemed to have not the best standing with the baseball gods, and wouldn’t you know it, Rendon missed a couple of locations in the sixth and Hutson and Ivan Pena hit back-to-back 2-out homers to tie the game at three. Bottom 6th, Wallace and Maldonado led off with singles to crowd Walsh. Bob Zeltser hit another soft looper to shallow right that dropped. Wallace initially turned third base before hitting the deck when he noticed the desperate screams of the third base coach – the ball was already arriving at home plate on a marvelous throw by the old man of the mountain, Pablo Sanchez. Tim Stalker thus had three on with no outs, poked a 1-2 into play at Juan Benito, who elected the costly out rather than getting two, and Wallace was cut down easily at the plate. The bags remained full and the Coons would get the lead back on Ed Hooge’s fly to center. The ball kept stretching away from John Baron and fell for a bases-clearing double on the warning track, at once making the Coons 6-3 leaders! Both pitchers were removed from the game here, with Shane Jacobs replacing Walsh, while Travis Zitzner hit for Rendon and flew out to Baron. Berto grounded out, stranding Hooge.

While Dennis Citriniti and Mauricio Garavito held the Indians at bay in the next two innings, getting four and two outs, respectively, the Raccoons unloaded on the Indians’ pen in the bottom 8th, sullying principally Jacobs and Mitch Guenther with another six runs. Maldonado and Zeltser started the inning with base hits, and it quickly spiralled out of control from there. The drumming was notable for no fewer than three Raccoons pinch-hitters drawing bases-loaded walks in their plate appearances in this inning. The result was a 9-run lead that even Nick Bates couldn’t decisively blow in the ninth inning. 12-3 Raccoons. Ramos 2-4, BB, RBI; M. Fernandez 2-4; Pinkerton (PH) 0-0, BB, RBI; Scheffer (PH) 0-0, BB, RBI; Wallace 2-4, BB; Maldonado 4-5, RBI; Zeltser 3-4, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI; Vickers (PH) 0-0, BB, RBI;

We tied the idle Titans with this win, while the Elks stayed half a game out with a 6-5 win over the Crusaders. Boston and the Loggers would go at each other starting on Tuesday.

Game 2
IND: RF P. Sanchez – 2B Schneller – CF Baron – LF Garbinski – 3B Hutson – 1B I. Pena – C J. Herrera – SS Benito – P Kretzmann
POR: SS Ramos – CF M. Fernandez – C K. Wall – LF Wallace – 1B Maldonado – 3B Zeltser – 2B Stalker – RF Hooge – P Willes

Those meaningless runs from the eighth inning had better been saved for Tuesday. The Raccoons had Ramos and Fernandez in scoring position with nobody out in the first inning, grounded out persistently to the right side as they refused to score them, and then lined up a string of zeroes following on that disaster while Juan Herrera singled home Hutson in the top 2nd to give Indy a lead. They made it 2-0 in the fifth, an unearned run after Stalker spiked a throw on Sanchez’ 2-out groundball. Instead of the inning ending, the Indians had Benito and Sanchez on the corners now, and sure as heck Dan Schneller found a hole for another 2-out RBI single. John Baron then flew out to Hooge.

Garbinski and Hutson hit singles over Tim Stalker to begin the sixth inning. Ivan Pena lined to center, Manny Fernandez made the running catch, and Garbinski absolutely misread that one, taking off in an attempt to score and being doubled off, 8-5. Herrera grounded out to end the inning, and how about a good 4-run rally to show them, boys!? No such thing occurred, although Tim Stalker hit a solo jack to finally break up Kretzmann’s shutout, and Hooge doubled before Fowler struck out in Willes’ spot to end the bottom 6th. Prieto, Thomson, and Kulp stitched together a scoreless top 7th before Kretzmann walked Berto to begin the bottom of the inning. Manny singled, becoming the go-ahead run on base. Kurt Wall lined a pitch to left, Hutson lunged and missed it by an arm’s length, and the ball fell for a single. Berto ignited the afterburners around third base and arrived well ahead of Garbinski’s throw, tying the game at two! And then Wallace hit into a double play and Maldonado also grounded out to Schneller…

Top 8th, Kulp allowed a single to Baron, David Fernandez walked Hutson, but Chris Wise got out of the inning; good thing the rosters were enlarged, because the Raccoons were getting hardly one out per reliever in this game… With Juan Melendrez into the game in the bottom 8th, the Raccoons tried to be cute; Justin Marsingill batted for Zeltser and walked. Stalker was supposed to bunt him over, but popped right into a double play. In turn, Wise walked Herrera to begin the top 9th. Mike Plunkett bunted as pinch-hitter, Wise pounced and went to second – safe – and Berto tossed to first in despair – safe. Oh, baseball! Never change! (shakes first skywards for no reason) Luis Leija then actually did hit into a 6-4-3 double play and Wise escaped with a K, allowing the Raccoons to walk off with but one run off righty Ramiro Benavides. No such thing occurred, with Zitzner pinch-hitting for a weak groundout. Berto singled and stole second, but Fernandez flew out easily, Wall was walked, and Wallace grounded out to Schneller, sending the game to extras, where Ed Blair pitched two scoreless innings. Zitzner then led off the 11th with a single off Tim Thweatt. Matt Triolo ran for him, who was off in a hit-and-run where Berto took aim and missed. Fortunately, Herrera’s throw arrived late, and Triolo got his first career stolen base and was now 180 feet away from scoring a walkoff. It was 90 after Berto singled to left. He held on Fernandez’ grounder to Hutson, while Berto moved up. Kurt Wall was walked intentionally. Wallace was no longer in the game, having been removed in a double switch, so there was a closer to bat for in the #4 hole with three on and one out. The Critters went for speed all around – Salgado ran for Wall, while Pinkerton would pinch-hit with his knack for walking, but the only three he reached was strike three, and Maldonado popped out, extending the game into the 12th.

At this point, the Raccoons faced an all-righty lineup and had gone through all their good right-handers, and those that remained (Citriniti, Bates) had both pitched on Monday, the former even for two days in a row. Bates ended up being sent against the top of the order, hit Schneller, walked J.J. Henley, and somehow survived when Hutson grounded out to Stalker. That was 24 awful pitches, and it also precluded Bates from a second inning given his endurance that would put a fruit fly to shame. Steve Gowan was the last hurler that hadn’t pitched at least two days in a row (or a starter) and was out for the 13th. He walked Jose Jaramillo, leading off. Plunkett hit a 1-out single. PH Jeremy Bainer flew out to deep center. Four balls to Joe DiGiacomo in the #1 hole, another four to Schneller in a full count to force home the probably winning run. Baron then grounded out to Stalker, stranding three, but the damage was done. The Coons waltzed up the top of their order against left-hander Mitch Guenther, who they had sexually violated in the eighth inning with the useless 6-spot the day before. One run here would be dandy. Two would be better. Ramos grounded out. Fernandez singled. Salgado whiffed. Rich Vickers batted for the useless **** Gowan, fell to 1-2, and singled to center, moving Manny to second base. Jesus Maldonado was next, 1-for-6 on the day, but the question was no longer about pinch-hitting for anybody – the Raccoons only had Philip Scheffer left on the bench; everybody else had been used. Guenther fell to 3-1 against Maldonado, who then poked. Standing next to an unsuspecting Cristiano Carmona at the big window overlooking the field, I shrieked then jumped into his arms and, well, lap, for comfort as Maldonado hit a grounder sharply up the leftfield line. Hutson lunged, missed it, fair ball, up the line it goes! Fernandez around to score, here comes Vickers, throw by Mike Plunkett, relay, Vickers to the plate, slides, and – SAFE!! SAFE!! WALKOFF DOUBLE FOR MALDONADO!!! 4-3 Blighters! Ramos 3-6, BB; M. Fernandez 2-6, BB; Wall 1-3, 3 BB, RBI; Vickers (PH) 1-1; Maldonado 2-7, 2B, 2 RBI; Willes 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K; Wise 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K; Blair 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

MALDONADO!! Normally 2-7 doesn’t merit being rapported, but if it’s a 2-out come-from-behind walkoff 2-7, it does! … Say, Cristiano, is this wheelchair certified for two people? – No? – Then I … Then I will perhaps get off again.

The damn Elks won, but Boston lost, thus moving the Raccoons into sole possession of first place, half a game ahead of the damn Elks…!

Game 3
IND: RF P. Sanchez – 2B Schneller – CF Baron – LF Garbinski – 3B Hutson – 1B I. Pena – C Ebner – SS Benito – P Burris
POR: SS Ramos – LF Maldonado – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Morales – 1B Zitzner – 3B Zeltser – 2B Vickers – P Livingston

Justin Fowler was finally back in the lineup on an everyday basis and immediately didn’t make much of an impact. Now, for Livingston it was much the opposite – he made considerable impact on the windscreen of the Indians’ bus. After three calm, almost boring innings to begin the scoreless affair, Livingston retired Baron and Garbinski to begin the fourth before taking baseball bats to both knees. The Arrowheads rapped off no fewer than SIX straight two out hits, five singles and a double by – of course! – the pitcher Burris, who plated two with his effort. Five runs scored in that inning from hell. The Coons made up two in the bottom 4th when Travis Zitzner hit an RBI triple and scored on a passed ball, but Ivan Pena but a sixth and final run on Livingston with a 2-out RBI double in the top of the fifth.

Bottom 5th, Fernandez reached base with a leadoff single, after which little happened until Zitzner singled with two outs. Bob Zeltser hit an RBI single. Rich Vickers hit an RBI single off Mitch Brothers, with Burris yanked in a 6-3 game. Jimmy Wallace batted and walked in place of Livingston, and Berto squeezed out another walk in a full count, narrowing the score to 6-5 before Maldonado grounded out to Schneller. Oh well, he’s a rookie, he can’t win every game…! While the Raccoons had to ask Bob Thomson for length out of the pen and somehow didn’t immediately get forcefully disbanded for it, the Raccoons encroached on Jon Lane with two outs in the bottom 6th. Morales singled. Zitzner singled, Zeltser shot an 0-2 pitch through Hutson for extra bases! Morales scored! … and Zitzner was thrown out doing the same, ending the sixth at six-all.

The next two innings brought nothing good for the Raccoons, who only put Vickers on with a leadoff single in the seventh, and Ed Hooge immediately 4-6-3’ed him off. Worse, the top 9th began with Garavito leaking singles to Sam Wall and Pablo Sanchez, the latter of the infield variety, before Chris Wise allowed another infield single to Schneller. Three on, no outs. Baron didn’t go down after falling to 2-2, instead plating a run with a grounder, but at least Garbinski popped out. Hutson went down on strikes, but the Raccoons still had to come back from 7-6 down against Thweatt now. Morales flew out to left. Zitzner grounded out to Schneller. Zeltser hit a ball to deep center. Oh, that one looks – GONE!! Game-tying homer by Bob Zeltser, and we’re all even at seven! Thweatt walked Vickers, but Stalker grounded out as pinch-hitter, sending another game to extras. David Fernandez was the only rested pitcher and retired the Indians on seven pitches, bringing the top of the order into play for the bottom 10th, still against Thweatt. The 1-2-3 went down 1-2-3, but Fowler would lead off the bottom 11th still in a tied game after a second no-nonsense inning from Fernandez, but the slugger grounded out against southpaw Ramiro Benavides. Morales singled to left, Zitzner walked – at this point, Marsingill ran for the catcher while Kurt Wall would hit for Zeltser. The pinch-runner turned out to be a fancy, but unnecessary move. At 2-1, Benavides tossed Wall a fastball that came dead straight. Wall hit it all the way to Washington state. 10-7 Raccoons!! M. Fernandez 2-6, 2B; Morales 3-6, 2B; Zitzner 3-5, BB, 3B, 2 RBI; Zeltser 3-4, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Wall (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI; Vickers 2-2, 3 BB, RBI; Thomson 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K; D. Fernandez 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, W (4-2);

Boston won, 3-1, and the damn Elks lost, 6-1. Our lead thus grew to a full game.

Can we get a sweep? The Indians had Bressner ready, but figured turning around the Coons’ batting order wouldn’t be such a bad idea after 26 runs in three games. Now, we still had no off day anywhere near us. Our *only* off day of the month would be next Thursday. Sprinkling a few more rest days around to key players probably wasn’t the worst move, but we also expected another southpaw opponent on Sunday. Excluding the returning Darren Brown, the lowest batting average in Sunday’s lineup was .261 (Zitzner).

Game 4
IND: RF P. Sanchez – 2B Schneller – CF Baron – LF Garbinski – 3B Hutson – 1B I. Pena – C J. Herrera – SS Benito – P Terwilliger
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Vickers – C K. Wall – CF Fowler – 1B Zitzner – LF Maldonado – RF Pinkerton – 3B Marsingill – P Brown

Again, the first three innings were rather dull, one hit for Indy, two for us, no real scoring going on. Then came the top 4th and for a while it looked like Darren Brown would give the Critters another big hole to dig out of. Pablo Sanchez singled to left to lead off. Schneller doubled to right, placing two in scoring position, but at least we got forces everywhere when Brown nailed Baron. Three on, nobody out, Garbinski hit a comebacker that Brown from his bottocks whipped over to Kurt Wall, who made the swipe with his hindpaw on home plate, forcing out Sanchez, and then Hutson hit into a double play to end the inning. Pena hit a leadoff single in the fifth, then was doubled off by the lead-footed Herrera. The Coons had Brown hit a 1-out single in the bottom 5th, Berto walked, but the inning ended on groundouts…

Still no score, until vaunted slugger Preston Pinkerton dropped a bloop single into shallow right-center with Fowler on second and Maldonado on first in the bottom of the sixth. Fowler had a great read and scored just in time, breaking the ice in this series finale. Marsingill then found a gap RBI double on a 1-2 pitch as the Raccoons finally started to roll Terwilliger the homonymous curves on I-5. Now – the scrappy pair with the once-in-a-lifetime names was in scoring position with one out and Darren Brown at the plate. More offense would be GREAT but the pen was creaking and Brown was on only 74 pitches AND we had an out to waste to get Berto up. Brown stayed in, made a poor out in front of home plate, and now it was Berto with two outs. 2-0 pitch in a 2-0 game, slapped to left and past a diving Benito, and the Raccoons added two more to the scoreboard! Vickers rolled out to Pena, ending the inning, but Darren Brown now had a 4-0 lead and would hopefully get another inning or two done with.

Or maybe not? Baron and Garbinski slapped singles off him to begin the seventh. Hutson hit into a double play (the fourth straight inning for the Coons to wrap up a pair of Indians), but Baron scored from third base. Pena lined out to Pinkerton, ending the inning. Bottom of the inning, Shane Jacobs was back, but Fowler on, then served up a bomb to Zitzner, 6-1. That was the final mark; Brown got two more outs before losing cohesion and the strike zone and was lifted for Steve Gowan, who retired another four Indians without blowing a 5-run lead. 6-1 Raccoons! Ramos 2-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI; Fowler 2-3, BB; Marsingill 2-4, 2B, RBI; Brown 7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (4-2) and 1-3;

For the third straight day, positions behind the Coons changed as the Titans lost their series and the Elks took a third game from the Crusaders.

This put the Coons 1 1/2 ahead of the damn Elks, and two ahead of the Titans. With about 15 to 16 games left in the season and everybody else at least seven behind, the six-horse race was over for good. It was now between these three teams at the top.

Raccoons (75-71) @ Thunder (72-73) – September 14-16, 2035

The Thunder had a magic number of two, but 15 1/2 behind the Bayhawks it wasn’t like they were a serious contender anymore. They had the most potent offense in the CL, but they were also in a bit of a rut, having lost NINE straight games to crash out of relative contention. Their pitching had dropped to eighth in the CL, but they still had a +14 run differential (Coons: +63). We led the season series, 4-2.

Projected matchups:
Bernie Chavez (9-10, 4.76 ERA) vs. Ignacio del Rio (10-12, 4.59 ERA)
Raffaello Sabre (8-9, 3.91 ERA) vs. Steve Bailey (6-3, 2.58 ERA)
Gilberto Rendon (13-7, 3.01 ERA) vs. Miguel Bojorques (10-10, 4.12 ERA)

The Thunder had been rained out on Thursday, which meant that we now only expected right-handers in this series, with left-handed pitcher Joe Robinson (13-10, 3.75 ERA) pushed back to Monday.

The Thunder had significant injuries, missing Paul Peters as well as a host of outfielders including Lorenzo Celaya, Drew Olszewski, and a day-to-day Luis Sagredo who had a sore groin. Yeah, yeah, groin problems, nothing new for us. (glances at Fowler)

Game 1
POR: SS Ramos – RF M. Fernandez – LF Wallace – CF Fowler – C Morales – 1B Zitzner – 3B Zeltser – 2B Vickers – P Chavez
OCT: SS C. Miller – 3B Becker – 1B D. Cruz – C Burgess – RF Sagredo – LF S. Cutler – 2B A. Rojas – CF Riffer – P del Rio

Despite my express desire that the Raccoons would tear del Rio a new one, pronto, they amounted to one hit and 40 pitches by the opposing tosser through four innings. Bernie Chavez didn’t throw that many more pitches, but also got into express trouble by the bottom 4th. Sharply hit singles put Thierry Becker and Mike Burgess on the corners, and while the sore-groined Sagredo popped out, Steve Cutler cracked an RBI single to right for the first run of the game. Alfredo Rojas’ hard RBI double made it 2-0, and the Coons bailed out with an intentional walk to Ben Riffer, after which Chavez rung up del Rio to strand three.

Perversely, when the Coons got their second hit off del Rio, it was Bernie Chavez poking a single to begin the sixth, and right away Berto doubled him off. Fernandez and Wallace followed up with a walk and double, respectively, but Fowler stranded them in scoring position by striking out. He had lost his clutch and we were doomed for it – Bernie Chavez remained 2-0 behind for all of his seven innings while del Rio just kept clicking off Critters. Vickers lined out to begin the eighth. Wall walked in the pitcher’s spot. And Berto hit into another double play. Berto!? Why!!??

Now, when the ninth rolled around the Thunder stuck to del Rio. Come on, boys! KILL HIM!! Fernandez flew out to center. Wallace flew out to center. Fowler flew to center, but the ball fell in. That pitted Tony Morales against del Rio. When he struck out, del Rio had a 4-hit shutout. 2-0 Thunder.

(has a thin stream of blood run from one corner of his mouth)

The Elks got brutalized for 14 by the Baybirds and remained 1 1/2 behind, but the Titans won 11-5 over the Falcons and again were only one game back.

Game 2
POR: C Wall – RF M. Fernandez – LF Wallace – CF Fowler – 1B Zitzner – 3B Zeltser – 2B Stalker – SS Triolo – P Sabre
OCT: SS C. Miller – 3B Becker – 1B D. Cruz – C Burgess – RF Sagredo – LF S. Cutler – 2B A. Rojas – CF Quirk – P S. Bailey

Leadoff walk to Miller, and a 2-out Burgess single in the first put the Coons in another 1-0 hole. Matt Triolo had his first career hit in the second inning, hitting a 2-out single that was entirely wasted when Sabre popped out. The Raccoons did NOTHING for the second day in a row while their pitcher was mediocre at best. Chris Miller hit a single in the bottom 3rd before Zeltser threw away a Becker grounder that put two in scoring position with one out. And while a sac fly in this spot wasn’t the worst of outcomes with Danny Cruz (.265, 30 HR, 86 RBI) batting, Cruz was four feet short of a 3-run homer.

In their 13th inning in Oklahoma, the Raccoons finally scored, barely. Fowler led off the fourth with a single, then advanced on two groundouts. Stalker’s grounder to left was tipped by Miller, but he couldn’t contain it and it rolled away for an RBI single. When Triolo drew a walk there was considerable temptation to bat for Sabre, but we didn’t and he flew out to Anthony Quirk. With aches and pains and two outs the Coons tied the game the following inning; Manny walked, advanced on a grounder to short that could maybe have been two, and then scored on Fowler’s single. Zitz walked, but Zelts lined out to Miller to strand two in the 2-2 game. All the effort was for naught after Miller legged out an infield single and Becker homered in the bottom of the inning, giving the Thunder a new 4-2 lead. Danny Cruz singled after that and Sabre was yanked after Burgess’ groundout. Gowan retired the left-handed Sagredo to end the fifth.

Both teams were in their pen by the sixth, and the Coons faced right-hander Marcos Ochoa in the seventh. Manny dropped a leadoff single, which brought up the middle of the order as the tying runs. Wallace placed a single in front of Sagredo on the first pitch he saw, and here was the spot for Fowler to pounce. He had ONE home run in SIX weeks, and though hampered by injuries, that was not an acceptable rate. All would be forgiven if he one out here! He popped out. Ochoa walked Zitzner on four pitches, loading the sacks for Zeltser, who struck out. Stalker fouled out. The Raccoons were divined to lose this one, and I was divined to find the nearest cattle ranch and tease the biggest bull until he’d gore me with his horns, to-night!

The eighth began with a single to left by Triolo against Ochoa, who also allowed a single to Berto, who hit for Dusty Kulp. The tying runs were on again with nobody out for the top of the order, with new right-hander Sean Bastone into the game. Kurt Wall flew out to center, and Manny Fernandez hit into a double play. Always stay classy, boys… The ninth, still down 4-2, David Gerow facing the middle of the order. The road team, which was already out-hitting the home team by 100%, got their 13th hit against the Thunder’s six with Wallace’s soft leadoff single. Then Fowler grounded out to first. Zitzner grounded out to first. And Zeltser grounded out to first. 4-2 Thunder. Wallace 3-5; Fowler 2-5, RBI; Stalker 2-4, RBI; Triolo 2-3, BB; Maldonado (PH) 1-1; Ramos (PH) 1-1;

13 singles, 13 left on base. Kurt Wall’s day as leadoff man: 0-for-5 with 3 K. I think we’re going back to Berto.

Consolation price: the competition brought home losses as well. The damn Elks lost by one to San Fran, and the Titans by as much to Charlotte. We would finish the week at least in a tie for first.

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – RF M. Fernandez – LF Wallace – CF Fowler – C Morales – 1B Maldonado – 3B Zeltser – 2B Stalker – P Rendon
OCT: SS C. Miller – 2B Dean – 1B D. Cruz – C Burgess – RF Sagredo – LF S. Cutler – 3B A. Rojas – CF Riffer – P Guyett

Old familiar Chris Guyett (1-4, 3.95 ERA) took the mound, having spent most of the season rehabbing a partially torn labrum. The Coons greeted him roughly with Wallace’s 2-run homer in the first. It could have been three if Manny Fernandez hadn’t forced out Berto… Fowler singled, but was left stranded, and Luis Sagredo’s 27th homer cut the lead in half in the bottom 2nd, and with Portland doing zip to tack on, the Thunder busied themselves getting to a not-unhittable Rendon with two singles by Burgess and Sagredo in the fourth, putting them on the corners and allowing them to tie the game on Rojas’ sac fly.

Stalker singled with one out in the fifth and was bunted over. Berto activated his single-slapping skills and hit one into no man’s land. With two gone, Stalker scored easily from second base, and so did Berto after swiping it once Manny Fernandez singled to left. Guyett tried to hang in there, but Wallace ripped a single in a 1-2 count and Guyett didn’t get that far before Fowler buried a ball in the gap for a 2-out, 2-run double, putting Portland up 6-2. Morales then struck out. Rendon was done after six, having expended 100 sometimes laborious pitches, stranding runners on the corners with a full-count K to Ben Riffer in his final inning. And after that, all looked well. Neither team scored into the bottom 9th, with Garavito logging an out (and his fourth in the game) against Rojas before Riffer singled. Wise came on, but walked Dan Dalton, which made this a save opportunity, so the Coons went mechanically to Ed Blair against the top of the order with the business already on the bases. It only got worse on Chris Miller’s RBI double. Left-handed .123 batter Liam Riley pinch-hit in the #2 spot, but those .123 hitters were the most dangerous ones, AND he was the tying run. Riley grounded out, a run scored, but that run didn’t matter. The one at the plate mattered. With two outs, the Thunder carried up the big guns: Cruz (30 HR), Burgess (24), and Sagredo (27). Switch, right, left. Blair remained in there – no point in walking one over the other either. They could all end the Coons. Instead, Blair ended Cruz with a strikeout on five pitches. 6-4 Critters. Wallace 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Fowler 3-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Stalker 2-3, BB; Hooge (PH) 1-1; Rendon 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (14-7);

The Elks won, but Boston didn’t – the Coons finished the week 1 1/2 ahead in the North …!

In other news

September 12 – LAP SP Dave Christiansen (11-9, 3.24 ERA) 2-hits the Scorpions in a 2-0 shutout win.
September 12 – Backup catcher Bryant Raymond (.193, 6 HR, 21 RBI) walks off the Miners with a come-from-behind grand slam off TOP CL Chris Myers (6-7, 4.11 ERA, 24 SV). Pittsburgh had been shut out up to that point, but gets away with a 4-2 win.
September 13 – DAL 2B/SS Hugo Acosta (.345, 0 HR, 23 RBI) is out for the season. The 21-year-old is down with an oblique strain.

Complaints and stuff

The Bayhawks are due on Monday. They have 90 wins. They could easily ruin our season either right this week OR in the LCS. With them coming up it’s not all impossible that the division winner in the North might not have a winning record after all…

By the way, even getting into our modest position, three games over .500 required six weeks of sustained .731 ball (30-11). Do the boys have enough for two more weeks like that, and if they *do*, will they have any air left in the playoffs?

PLAYOFFS. Who thought of playoffs after that dismal double-header ****show in Indy and 46-62??

POR (76-73) – BOS (4), MIL (3), SFB (3), VAN (3) – .512 – 65.2% (+27.9%)
VAN (75-75) – IND (3), MIL (3), OCT (3), POR (3) – .477 – 17.4% (+1.6%)
BOS (74-75) – POR (4), IND (3), NYC (3), TIJ (3) – .504 – 17.3% (-27.7%)

We’ll have the Titans and Elks at home in the final week. Wouldn’t it be nice to clinch with a walkoff homer on the ****ing Elks? (grins diabolically)

M-Maybe not on Sunday. Maybe do it on Friday!

And one more maddening thought after a tense week with some extra innings and some irking losses: if the field was set by expected win-loss record, we’d be three ahead of Boston, and five ahead of the damn Elks.

Fun Fact: 39 years ago today, the Scorpions’ Jared O’Molony and Martin Horn both landed six base hits in a 20-0 rout of the Cyclones.

Nothing comparable has happened since.