[Westheim]

Raccoons (71-56) @ Condors (72-56)

The Condors were trying to win their third straight division title, but the Knights were right on their heels. The Raccoons were trying to not lose any more feathers. Or … tails, which … fits better here.

Scott Wade had lost his last four games (including his 1-hitter against the Canadiens) entering the first game. He gave the Condors a head start, falling 1-0 behind in the first inning. In turn, he started a rally in the top 3rd with a single dipped into short left. Thompson doubled off the wall and gave Barrios a prime chance to turn the game with one out, but he struck out and Dawson flew out, inning over. The Condors in turn upped to 3-0 in the bottom 3rd with the help of Daniel Hall, who dropped a flyball in deep left. Wholly ineffective, Wade gave up 10 hits in the game, struck out none, and took the loss: 6-1 Condors; Thompson 2-3, BB; Dawson 2-4, 2B;

Daniel Hall drove in the Coons’ only run with an RBI double in the ninth, logging career hit #996. Tetsu Osanai went 0-4 in his triple crown bid. Atlanta’s McDonald drove in three against the Canadiens to gain in the RBI department.

Game 2 was Vicente Ruíz’ first time back on the mound in two weeks. The Raccoons loaded the bags in the first inning and – to change things up for once – actually scored two runs. They added one in the second, and Osanai socked a leadoff homer in the third inning, 4-0. Ruíz had been fairly decent through five, but succumbed in the sixth inning. Two leadoff walks, then a K to SS Cipriano Ortega (his only K the whole day), but then an RBI single by Chad Fisher chased him. Another run scored against David Jones, but Jones held on to the 4-3 lead and got out of the inning. A 2-out RBI single by Winston Thompson in the eighth got the Coons some breathing room (although Thompson was then picked off at first). Gaston and West both put two runners on in the last two innings, but pitched around it. 5-3 Raccoons. Weber 3-5, RBI; Osanai 3-5, HR, RBI; Hall 2-4, RBI; Miranda 2-4;

Dannyboy logged an infield RBI single in the first and another single after that to get to 998 career hits. Can he still get 1,000 this month? He has exactly one game left. Tetsu Osanai took firm grip on all three triple crown categories again, leading by .005, 2 HR, 8 RBI overall.

As the Coons put Logan Evans in to face John Douglas (ex-Logger who would occasionally walk eight Coons in games), both Osanai and Hall had big hits right in the first inning. With one out, Osanai singled in Thompson from second, while Hall then hit a 2-run double to score Dawson and Osanai. One run got away from Evans in the bottom 1st again, though, for a 3-1 lead. Top 3rd: Osanai hit a leadoff double, which brought up Daniel Hall. A small crowd of not more than 300 Coons followers had flocked together along the right field line and made considerable noise as he stepped into the box. Hall drew a walk, which was not the desired result, but fine by Coons followers round the nation in the interest of winning the game, yet ultimately still pointless since the Raccoons left the bases loaded in the inning. The score still 3-1, Hall came up again as the first batter in the top 5th, but Jose Moreno converted his slow grounder to third into an out. Top 7th, Coons still 3-1 ahead, Osanai on first, one out, Daniel Hall to the plate. Come on, Danny. This is your stage. Let’s listen to R.A. Koontz.

Daniel Hall is one for two with a walk and two runs batted in today. With the slow Osanai on first base this is not an RBI chance, but right now many people are not necessarily going to look for a run here, but for a mere hit.

Hall steps out again and swings his bat a few more times.

Daniel Hall was the first overall amateur draft pick the Portland Raccoons have ever made, back in nineteen-seventy-seven. He was the number two pick overall that season, behind Andres Ramirez.

First pitch from Douglas – is a strike. The Raccoons fans along the line there are surely giddy for a hit.

Douglas looks at Osanai. Douglas has walked six today, but no damage since the first inning.

Douglas from the stretch to Daniel Hall. Contact, a soaring ball along the right foul line, not deep. Could be fair, Fisher going out, Dundee c’min’ in, it drops in! Osanai holds at second.

Career hit number one-thousand for Mister Daniel Hall, born June twenty-six, thirty-one years ago. And the Condors are fair sportspeople, as his achievement lights up on the scoreboard just now. The Tijuana crowd rises to their feet and applauds Hall, who is the seventy-fourth player in ABL history to reach four-digit career hits. And Hall lifts his helmet to the crowd and flashes a smile. It has been a hard season for him, losing more than half the games so far to injuries.

And now we get back to playing ball, as Sam Dadswell steps in, oh for two today. John Douglas’ first pitch is wide of the strike zone…

The next three were also wide, loading the bases, and Douglas also gave four wide ones to Walker, pushing in Osanai. Ricardo Gonzalez lined into short left center, which scored Hall, netting him a run on his 1,000th career base hit.

LET’S CELEBRATE THIS!! We may not get anything else to cheer about this season.

Oh, yeah, the Coons took the game, 5-4, after it almost collapsed away from the bullpen. Osanai 3-5, 2B, RBI; Hall 2-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI;

There were also good news for Logan Evans after the game, but see below.

Interlude: September 1

You know me, I like to call up two additional arms and two or three bats once September starts. This season, we would have called up AAA closer Juan Martinez – but he was hurt in his August 31 outing – diagnosis pending. So, we went ahead and called up relievers Pedro Vazquez and Mike Shaw, who had both already enjoyed very brief stints with the team this season.

Then we called up 2B Dani Perez, an international amateur signing from Panama back in 1983. He had torn through the minor leagues this year and was batting .280 in AAA as well. He would certainly get a handful of starts at second base down the stretch (the season would last into early October anyway this year). Darren Campbell also was recalled after an earlier stint.

Raccoons (73-57) @ Thunder (67-62)

Manuel Paredes’ Raccoons stint lasted less than another full inning after his two shoddy outings. The Thunder blew him up for six runs in the first inning. Vazquez was thrown in and gave the Coons 3.1 scoreless, if messy, innings. Powell also pitched three frames without any more damage – and those were the best news there were to report that day. The Raccoons were soundly defeated, 6-2. Walker 2-4;

Manuel Paredes (1-2, 13.50 ERA) was sent back to AAA after this game. Christopher Powell will finish the season in the rotation. At 9.5 games behind, things like that don’t matter anymore.

Dani Perez made his big league debut in the middle game on September 2. He first came to the plate in a scoreless game in the second inning, facing Bob Gaulton. The Raccoons had the bases loaded with nobody out, but Ricardo Gonzalez had already popped out before Perez. Dani Perez dipped a single to short right for the go-ahead run. Kisho Saito meanwhile started impressively into the game. The first time through the Thunder lineup, he fanned six. Top 4th: Perez came to bat with Daniel Hall at third and two out – single to left, 2-0 Raccoons. But Dave Browne wrecked Saito’s outing with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the frame, tying up the game, and the Thunder took the lead in the next inning. They added three in the eighth and the Raccoons looked beaten trailing 7-3. They weren’t quite. Quintanilla and Barrios led off with singles that put them on the corners. Closer Jamel Teissier came in. Thompson pinch hit for Weber and doubled to deep right center, scoring a run. Mark Dawson stepped into the box, representing the tying run, but grounded out. Osanai didn’t manage more than a sac fly behind him. Daniel Hall had a single after that, but Dadswell flew out. 7-5 Thunder. Barrios 2-5; Thompson (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI; Osanai 3-4, 2 RBI; Hall 3-5; Perez 2-4, 2 RBI; Quintanilla (PH) 1-1;

Trying to salvage one game in Oklahoma, the Coons scored single runs in both of the first two innings for a 2-0 lead handed to Scott Wade, who had quite a few struggles to get ahead in counts. Through five, he 2-hit the Thunder with no runs for Oklahoma, but only struck out pitcher Wilson Cordova once. The Thunder got to him in the sixth with three hits and a run, cutting the Raccoons’ lead in half. Wade was removed for Barrios to pinch hit as the first man up in the top 7th. Barrios doubled down the left field line. Thompson was walked intentionally, Weber bunted them over, and then Daniel Hall, back in the #3 spot for a struggling Mark Dawson, singled to right to score both runners and advanced to second on a throwing error. This was already the final score, 4-1. Mike Shaw pitched two scoreless innings facing mostly lefties and Grant West closed the game. Thompson 2-2, 3 BB, RBI; Osanai 3-4, BB, RBI; Barrios (PH) 1-2, 2B; Wade 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, W (9-7); Shaw 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K;

Winston Thompson is red hot and has now hit in 12 games in a row!

Raccoons (74-59) vs. Loggers (60-73)

This was the opener to a 6-game home stand, surrounded by off days. It was tempting to skip Ruíz again, but he had been solid his last time out and to be honest, apart from Logan Evans, there was no pitcher in the rotation that I would bank on for a W. Saito was awful since the summer, Wade was struggling to remove batters, Ruíz was struggling anyway, and Powell was … well, sadly, for years past his prime. We had September 5. Another month from here, a 9 1/2 season relationship would come to an end.

So Ruíz it was to start the series against the Loggers, who had by now dumped the Indians into the cellar and were trying to finish anywhere close to decency (the Loggers were one of two teams, the other being the Titans, to never finish with a winning record).

Daniel Hall was thrown out at the plate on an Osanai double to end the bottom 1st, denying the Coons the go-ahead run. With two out in the top 3rd, Ruíz walked two, then gave up two hits for two runs, before a grounder ended the inning – finally. Ruíz remained ineffective after that and was removed after five innings, down just 2-1. The Coons missed a chance to score with Thompson on third and one out. A massive shot by Mark Dawson tied the game in the bottom 6th, it was Dawson’s 15th dinger of the season. But the Loggers countered that, as Hokichi Endo socked a 2-piece off Richard Cunningham in the eighth. The runner on base had been Vazquez’ though. The Raccoons never had another baserunner. 4-2 Loggers. Osanai 2-4, 2B; Miranda 2-4, RBI;

The instant anyone noticed Winston Thompson’s hitting streak – it was over.

Logan Evans, who was the hope for a W these days, was shot off the mound by the Loggers. Four hits, five walks, six runs in not even five innings. The bullpen took over from there and was solid, allowing no more runs. But the damage had been done. Mark Warburton, who was 6-10 with a 5.25 ERA going into the game, shut down the Raccoons for three hits in seven innings, and they didn’t produce any offense until the bottom 9th, when it was way too late. 6-2 Loggers. Perez (PH) 1-1; Quintanilla (PH) 1-1; Walker 2-4, 2B, RBI; Flores (PH) 1-1, RBI; Moran 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Christopher Powell had left the rotation in May at 2-1, 4.14 ERA. He was now 2-1, and the ERA a fifth of a point higher. This was his first start in almost four months. You’d better not expect greatness to transpire here.

Through three innings, the game was scoreless. Powell had 2-hit the opposition, while Neil Stewart was perfect for the Loggers. Daniel Hall squeezed out a 2-out walk in the bottom 4th to break up a perfecto bid, but the no-hitter still stood. Until Osanai stepped in. He lined into right center for a single. But Dawson rolled out to end the inning, and the game was still scoreless after five. The Loggers then took swings at Powell in the sixth and loaded the bases with two out. Rookie 1B Ton Otani was up. He hit the ball deep to center, Bill Stevens launched himself at it – CAUGHT IT! Powell was removed for a pinch hitter after six scoreless innings of work, but the Raccoons went down shamefully, not scoring with Winston Thompson at third base, and Daniel Hall struck out to end the inning. Neither team threatened much until the bottom 8th, when Bill Stevens hit a double to start things off. Dani Perez popped out and Steve Walker only managed a grounder that sent Stevens to third. The #1 spot in the lineup now had Cunningham in there after a double switch and he was removed for Dimian Barrios to counter the lefty Stewart, who was still in the game. Barrios singled to short left, 1-0 Coons. (exhausted breathing) A 9-pitch save by West salvaged – again – at least the one win in the series. Barrios (PH) 1-1, RBI; Osanai 2-3; Stevens 2-3, 2B; Powell 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K;

Raccoons (75-61) vs. Titans (66-72)

Here was that other team that had never finished with a winning record so far. I’m sure those Furballs would like to help…

Kisho Saito has not won a game since July. He’s 2-9 since mid-June. Saito certainly tried to get a W in the series opener, but received little to no help from his team. The Titans got one run off him in the third, which was it for a while. After a leadoff double in the top 6th, Isto Grönholm sent a long flyer to deep left – he was the main challenger of Osanai in the home run race. The ball missed the wall, but Hall couldn’t get it either. The Titans scored a run, but Osanai shot a 2-run home run in the bottom 6th to tie the game. Saito again was unable to hold on, and Wen Zhan homered to center in the top 7th. Miranda misplayed a grounder at short for another run in the same inning. The Coons, as poorly as the played, this was already an insurmountable 4-2 deficit. And it was. Wally Gaston pitched two good final innings, for nothing. 4-2 Titans. The Raccoons had six hits. Osanai 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Miranda 1-2, BB; Gaston 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

Game 2 was another affair with very low output early on. Both teams had only one hit each the first time through their lineups. Scott Wade looked good, as did Pedro Romero (7-12, 5.03 ERA). Dani Perez, who batted second and played second, walked to start the bottom 4th and we called for a hit-and-run with Daniel Hall, which worked well, putting runners on the corners, when Hall singled to right. Osanai to the plate, a grounder to third that prevented Perez from running, and gave an unproductive out. But Mark Dawson, next up, came up clutch after an era of struggling and singled through Esteban Rodriguez into left. 2-0 Coons. Daniel Hall saved Wade a run by nailing John Fleury at second, when the latter tried to stretch a single in the sixth. Wade got through the next two innings quickly and with a 3-0 lead after eight was allowed to go for a shutout, despite having already completed 114 pitches. He faced the top of the order. John Fleury reached with a bloop single that fell into no man’s land. Wade then struck out RF Salvador Vargas, but walked LF Hjalmar Flygt and his day was over with Isto Grönholm coming up. Grant West saved the game, but one run came across on another sub-par play by the defense. 3-1 Raccoons. The Raccoons had only seven hits in the game. Hall 1-2, 2 BB; Barrios (PH) 2-2, RBI; Wade 8.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (10-7);

Game 3. Can we please get a series win for once? Darren Campbell got a start at second base. And Ruíz was on the mound. Bill Stevens’ home run got the Raccoons ahead in the first inning, but Wen Zhan hit one for two runs off Ruíz in the next inning. Osanai hit his 27th dinger of the season to tie it up again in the fourth inning. And you could say a lot about how Vicente Ruíz was having a horrible season on the mound – but he was much better at the plate, hitting over .300! He came to bat with Darren Campbell on second and one out in the bottom 5th and singled over SS Manny Mora for the go-ahead run. But, as I said, he was not very good as a pitcher this year and couldn’t work through the sixth. Neither could the pen, the Titans tied the game, 3-3, then scored a run off Wally Gaston in the seventh. The Coons scrambled to avoid giving Gaston his sixth loss with a sub-2 ERA. Perez had a pinch hit single with one out, and Stevens also singled to put them on the corners with one out for Hall, but he grounded into a double play. The bottom 9th started with Osanai, and the way everybody was playing, he better hit a long one. He walked. With Dawson next, we ordered a hit-and-run with the snail-paced Osanai, to avoid another double play. Manny Mora was as puzzled as anybody when the Japanese bulldozer began to dash for second base, and then couldn’t get to Dawson’s grounder, that went through on his other side. Runners on the corners, nobody out, winning run on first. Ricardo Gonzalez pinch-hit for Gustavo Flores. Juan Miranda got him to 2-2 and fans were fearing a rally-killing K, but then Gonzalez grounded up the middle – PAST ZHAN FOR A SINGLE!! The game was tied. But now Campbell made a really bad bunt and Fleury forced Dawson at third. And now the inning was killed. The game went to extra innings. Moran jammed in the 10th, but West got through to put the Coons in a position to win it. Steve Walker led off with a single in his first AB of the day, having just entered in the double switch with West, but was thrown out on an attempt to steal. West hit Bob Arnold to get the 11th started and two infield singled got Arnold around to score. Ben Edmonds struck out the side in the bottom 11th. 5-4 Titans. Perez (PH) 1-1; Walker 1-1; Stevens 3-5, HR, RBI; Dawson 2-5; R. Gonzalez (PH) 1-2, RBI;

In other news

August 29 – VAN SS Eddy Bailey (.289, 8 HR, 58 RBI) is out for the season with a fractured ankle. Heading for the postseason, again pieces are breaking out of the Canadiens’ juggernaut.
August 30 – The playoff-contending Blue Sox will have to make do without their shortstop down the stretch, too, as Mike Grimes (.337, 0 HR, 50 RBI) broke his foot and will miss a month.
August 30 – Miners 1B Motoki Matsu****a (.306, 8 HR, 55 RBI) reaches a 20-game hitting streak with a fourth inning single in a 5-4 loss to Sacramento.
September 1 – The Warriors chill Motoki Matsu****a, ending his hitting streak at 21 games.
September 3 – Atlanta catcher Steve Wall is put away for a long time with a torn posterior cruciate ligament. Batting .311 with 6 HR and 58 RBI, he should miss time until well into next season.
September 5 – Indy’s Robert Vazquez (10-14, 2.86 ERA) hurls a 1-hitter in a 6-0 win over the Titans.
September 6 – Tijuana is shut out 2-0 by Oklahoma City and Dragoljub Djukic (13-10, 4.01), who tosses a 2-hitter.

Complaints and stuff

Logan Evans was named Continental League Pitcher of the Month of August 1986! In seven starts during the month he went 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA. It is the first honor of this kind for Logan Evans, who has turned 30 this year. We have him under contract until 1991.

Oh, this team is aggravating! (sighs)

The team has collapsed for good. From August 9-31, they scored 3.7 R/G, which may be the main reason (apart from the awful pitching). The first week of September, they even dumped that and scored 2.66 R/G …

Armando Sanchez was ready to come off the DL, but I decided to let him walk off his knee problems in a short rehab stint. He will rejoin the team going onto the road again.

Our 16-yr old A level closer, an international discovery, is out with shoulder inflammation. Well, that’s gonna be a superstar. Juan Martinez meanwhile has a sore shoulder and won't be available for a call-up until later this month.

What to do in the offseason? I have some players in my eye that I will try to move and I will not be as choosy as I had been with Cameron Green for years. Time to break this miserable bunch up into unrecognizable tiny pieces.

Next: road trip to Vancouver, Milwaukee, and San Francisco;