[Westheim]

Raccoons (10-14) @ Loggers (16-9) – May 5-8, 2042

This was not a good time to play the Loggers in their shack, but then again, the last three years had not seen the Raccoons having a good time against the Loggers even once. We had lost three straight season series against them, including 6-12 last year. Right now, the Loggers were eighth in runs scored, but allowed the fewest runs (a mere 2.7 per game), so the Raccoons’ already foundering lineup would have a tough chew ahead of it.

Projected matchups:
Rich Willett (3-2, 2.02 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (3-1, 2.53 ERA)
Josh Brown (1-1, 2.27 ERA) vs. Bobby Freels (3-0, 1.24 ERA)
Nelson Moreno (1-2, 6.56 ERA) vs. Joe Hicks (1-4, 4.11 ERA)
Jake Jackson (1-1, 4.13 ERA) vs. TBD

Three right-handers, and a question mark for the fourth game, with assumed starter Adam Giovenco (1-1, 1.86 ERA) day-to-day with an oblique issue. Also injured were 1B Aaron Brayboy and outfielders Tony Lira and Jonathan Fleming, all on the DL.

Freels was a 23-year-old sophomore with almost as many walks as strikeouts that was ripe for a beating, but I wouldn’t bet on the Critters handing it to him.

Game 1
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 3B Maldonado – 2B Trevino – 1B Ramos – C Wilson – RF Cortes – P Willett
MIL: CF Reeves – RF Cannizzard – SS Del Vecchio – 3B Paul – LF Hertenstein – C Sicco – 2B V. Acosta – 1B M. Monroe – P Piedra

The top of the first saw a walk, a balk, catcher’s interference – and Maldonado hit into an inning-ending double play. The Raccoons loaded the bags in the third inning then, with a leadoff walk drawn by Carlos Cortes, while Jared Paul failed to turn Rich Willett’s sac bunt into an out anywhere, and Tony Romero chucked a single to right. That also meant the bags were loaded with nobody out, so there was no hope to score! In terms of what actually happened, Tony Hunter grounded to Victor Acosta for what should have been two, but turned out to be none with a throwing error past Ted Del Vecchio. The Coons got a run there, then got another one when Manny Fernandez hit into a 6-4-3 double play…… Maldonado struck out.

At least Willett looked FINE, if not exactly dominant. He didn’t get strike threes in general, which came back to bite in the fifth inning, which Valentino Sicco had opened with a double to right-center. He was at third base with two outs and the pitcher batting, and as so often, the numb-skulled Raccoons hurler of the day surrendered a 2-out RBI single to his opposite. Bill Reeves then grounded out to leave it 2-1 at the completion of five. Tim Cannizzard opened the sixth with a single, but Jared Paul hit into a double play to end that inning. The Coons sat on two base hits until the seventh, when Jeff Wilson singled to right with one gone, knocking out Piedra in the process. Ron Purcell snuffed out Cortes and Willett, who gave up another hit to Sicco in the bottom of the inning, a single to right on which Sicco refused to stop at first base and was axed out by Cortes at second base. The Coons got Romero and Fernandez to the corners in the eighth inning, but Maldonado hit into a fielder’s choice and Trevino popped out to strand the insurance run(s).

Willett remained in some sort of control of the game, retiring Miles Monroe, Felipe Gomez, and Bill Reeves in order in the bottom 8th, all on soft contact. He was on 92 pitches at that point, and given Wyatt Hamill’s last few outings we were not averse to just keeping him in there… Kurt Crater removed the Coons’ 6-7-8 hitters in order in the ninth, which prevented Willett to be removed for a pinch-hitter, too. He struck out Cannizzard in a full count to begin the bottom 9th, then got the monster Del Vecchio to pop out on the first pitch, his 100th of the game. That brought up Jared Paul, hitting .207 and 0-for-3 on the day. He launched a drive to left-center, with Manny Fernandez shaking the old hindpaws to chase it down in the gap and he made the catch!! 2-1 Critters. Romero 2-3, BB; Willett 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (4-2);

Since no off day was offering itself this week, the Raccoons would give everybody a day off at some point. We’d start with the two middle infielders on Tuesday, neither of whom was hitting anything much in the last few days.

Game 2
POR: 1B Ramos – CF Romero – LF Fernandez – 3B Maldonado – C Kilmer – RF Cortes – 2B Gutierrez – SS Nickas – P Brown
MIL: 2B V. Acosta – LF Borchard – 3B Paul – SS Del Vecchio – RF Hertenstein – C F. Gomez – CF Cannizzard – 1B Torri – P Freels

The Raccoons took a 2-0 lead again, and this time it was even earned! Maldonado reached to begin the second inning, and Carlos Cortes crushed a baseball into the stands in leftfield, lifting his batting average to an awe-inspiring .160 *and* joining Maldonado as team leaders with two (2) longballs each. (mutters something else under his breath) The Loggers made up a run right away with a Del Vecchio leadoff single in the bottom 2nd and a walk issued to Hertenstein, then a balk and a Cannizzard sac fly, but crucially, Josh Brown had struck out Gomez in between, keeping the damage to that one run. Dan Torri was walked intentionally and Freels grounded out to end the inning.

The Coons drew three walks in the next two innings without getting anywhere, while Del Vecchio singled and was at second base in the bottom 4th when Cannizzard hit a 2-out single to right. Wretched Del Vecchio was sent around to home plate, but thrown out by Cortes to end the inning. Portland instead tacked on; Romero ripped a triple into the corner in rightfield with one gone in the fifth, then scored on Manny Fernandez’ single to center. Manny stole second, leading to an intentional walk to Maldonado to get the struggling pair of Kilmer and Cortes up again, hitting .157 between them, with 3 HR and 15 RBI. Kilmer singled on a 2-2 pitch, loading the bases, and Cortes grounded to left, where Paul cut off the ball, but bobbled it slightly, and his throw to first was late – RBI infield single, the official scorer ruled, rather than an error. In any case, the score was 4-1. Then Omar Gutierrez chucked it into a double play to kill a still fat chance.

The score through seven remained 4-1, while Brown was also done at that point, throwing just over 100 pitches this time out. He allowed four hits and walked as many in the outing. Jon Craig pitched a competent eighth for nothing but a Jared Paul single. He had entered in the #1 spot as Berto was removed for D after the top of the eighth inning, despite the #1 spot leading off the ninth inning. Cosmo pinch-hit there, singled to left, stole second, and made it to third on a passed ball with nobody out. Romero ended up walking and was caught stealing, but Manny cashed the runner with another RBI single to center. Maldonado flew out, but Kilmer rocked a homer to left-center with two outs. Bottom 9th, Zack Kelly came on and retired nobody. Hertenstein walked, Gomez homered to left, and Cannizzard walked again. Rella replaced him, walked PH Sicco with one out, and here came Hamill in what had gotten from a 6-run lead to a save opportunity. A grounder from Vic Acosta solved it all, right at Nickas, and 6-4-3 the Loggers went out. 7-3 Raccoons. Trevino (PH) 1-1; Fernandez 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Kilmer 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Cortes 2-5, HR, 3 RBI; Brown 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, W (2-1);

Despite the success of this game, Cortes got a day off next, along with Maldonado.

Game 3
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – RF Reyna – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B de Wit – 2B Trevino – 1B Ramos – P Moreno
MIL: CF Reeves – RF Cannizzard – SS Del Vecchio – 3B Paul – LF Hertenstein – C Sicco – 2B V. Acosta – 1B M. Aguirre – P Hicks

Portland scored out of the gate again, with Hunter hitting a single and Manny cashing him with a double up the leftfield line in the first inning. That was before Nelson Moreno got his dirty paws involved, though, and Bill Reeves homered the game tied on his very first pitch of the game. That was not the last rocket launched off him, but nothing else left the yard or got past an outfielder at least in that inning… Instead he cost his team a run by popping up a bunt in the top 2nd, which kept de Wit and Berto on second and first before Romero’s 2-out double to center. Berto by now lacked the speed – spheres tend to take a while to build momentum – to score from first base on any old double, and while Hunter walked to fill the bags, Reyna grounded out to keep it a 2-1 game.

Of course it didn’t stay 2-1. It took the Loggers til the fourth inning, but then they tore up Moreno for three runs. Hertenstein singled. Sicco was hit by the pitch. Acosta ripped a 2-run double, and Mike Aguirre singled home Aguirre to get them the 4-2 lead. Moreno would make it through six, battered and bruised as usual, then was hit for to begin the seventh inning against Hicks, who had walked four and whiffed only one (Kilmer), but was still holding on there. He retired Maldonado, Romero, and Hunter in order in the inning. Instead, Reeves doubled and Cannizzard singled off Chuck Jones to tack on a run in the bottom 7th. The Coons had the tying run at the dish in the eighth when Kilmer singled and de Wit walked with two outs, but Cosmo grounded out. Those were the Raccoons’ last runners in the game. 5-2 Loggers. Hunter 1-2, 2 BB;

For the Thursday game, Adam Giovenco was good to go, but we had already beaten a guy with a 1-ish ERA in this series, so why worry?

The Raccoons would rest Berto and Manny in this game.

Game 4
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – LF Reyna – 3B Maldonado – 1B Wilson – RF Cortes – 2B Trevino – C Kilmer – P Jackson
MIL: CF Reeves – RF Cannizzard – SS Del Vecchio – 3B Paul – LF Hertenstein – C Sicco – 2B V. Acosta – 1B Torri – P Giovenco

Jackson threw 31 pitches in a largely pointless first inning, putting the first for Loggers on base (although Reeves was thrown out at home plate), punching out Hertenstein in a big spot, but then walking in a run anyway against Sicco with two outs, before Acosta grounded out to Cosmo. Portland also stacked the bags in the second inning, when Giovenco walked Maldo and Wilson, and Cosmo hit a 1-out single. Kilmer popped out foul, though, and Jackson was carved up on strikes. The Trevino single was the only Critters hit through four innings, while the Loggers piled up eight on Jake Jackson, including three singles for a run – RBI for Reeves – in the fourth inning, taking a 2-0 lead in the process. The top 5th opened with Cosmo, who singled to center. He advanced on two groundouts, then scored when Romero singled to center with two outs. Oh, look – the rest of the team has decided to show up after all! Giovenco walked Hunter after that, but Reyna grounded out to end the inning.

The Coons *did* tie the game eventually, though. The sixth began with three rockets to left or left-center hit by the 4-5-6 batters. Wilson’s was caught by Hertenstein, but the other two dropped for a pair of doubles and a 2-2 tie. Cosmo was then nicked, and Kilmer found a double play, and this thin booze they served at Loggers Ballpark could not nearly combat my drilling headache. Giovenco and Reeves hit singles in the bottom 6th to knock out Jackson then, and when Brent Clark replaced him, he gave up a 2-out, 2-run single to ******* Del Vecchio, that ******* piece of ****. Down 4-2 became down 4-3 when Jay de Wit hit for Clark to begin the seventh inning and socked a home run to left, but then the next six Critters were sat down. The Coons kept the Loggers in place with Craig, Jones, and Sims, but still trailed 4-3 when they encountered Kurt Crater in the ninth inning, *and* with the bottom of the order (with de Wit still in the #9 hole, Reyna having been removed). Cosmo opened with an infield single, though, after which Kilmer was hit for by Manny Fernandez, who struck out. De Wit came up, hit a grounder to second, to short, to first, …. (sigh) … 4-3 Loggers. Trevino 3-3; de Wit (PH) 1-2, HR, RBI;

Raccoons (12-16) @ Miners (13-14) – May 9-11, 2042

The Miners had lost three in a row and both teams were languishing in fifth place in their divisions. They were seventh in runs scored and runs allowed with a -6 run differential (Coons: -21). Their rotation was the porous part of the pitching staff, while the pen was sturdy. The starters ranked second from the bottom by ERA. They also knew how to hit dingers, sitting third in the power department, so I saw more pain forthcoming on that front. We had not played them last year, but had won the last two meetings in 2039-40.

Projected matchups:
Angelo Montano (0-1, 4.26 ERA) vs. Marty Madera (4-1, 4.32 ERA)
Rich Willett (4-2, 1.81 ERA) vs. Jonathan Dykstra (3-3, 4.69 ERA)
Josh Brown (2-1, 2.09 ERA) vs. Roberto Pruneda (2-4, 5.44 ERA)

We would stalk around their only southpaw and best starter by ERA, Bill McMichael (2-1, 2.67 ERA) in this series. Instead we’d see Dykstra, former Raccoons prospect, who was once traded to Pittsburgh to acquire Kurt Wall in ’34.

Tony Romero was the last regular that needed a day off and would get it on Friday.

Game 1
POR: 1B Ramos – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – CF Maldonado – RF Reyna – 3B de Wit – 2B Trevino – C Wilson – P Montano
PIT: 3B Iverson – 2B J. Cruz – SS Lastrade – 1B Marz – CF Burch – C Wiersma – RF Serad – LF del Toto – P Madera

The Raccoons opened the game with singles by Berto and Hunter, then struck out and found a double play. They didn’t get a hit again before Angelo Montano, who resisted for longer than I would have guessed, imploded to the Miners’ Ted Del Vecchio, disgusting rat Ken Wiersma. John Marz walked, Kevin Burch landed a hit to left, and Wiersma bombed a 3-piece in the bottom 4th to put the game in the books. Portland didn’t find another hit until Tony Hunter was nicked by Madera to begin the sixth inning, which Manny Fernandez followed up with an angry homer to center, cutting the gap to 3-2. Reyna would hit a 1-out double in the inning, but was stranded on two poor groundouts. Zack Kelly had a brief cameo in the bottom 7th, walked two, and was only narrowly bailed out by Josh Rella and Manny Fernandez, stalking down a 2-out gapper by Kevin Burch to strand the runners. Manny and Reyna then hit singles in the eighth to get to the corners with two outs, but Burch easily caught de Wit’s fly to center. For the ninth, it would be ex-Coon Antonio Prieto, having yet to allow a run on the season in 11.1 innings. Cosmo grounded out. Gutierrez hit for Wilson and struck out. Cortes hit for Brent Clark and flew out to center. 3-2 Miners. Fernandez 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Reyna 2-3, 2B;

******* hopeless.

Roster move for Saturday: Zack Kelly (1-0, 6.75 ERA) was sent to St. Pete with 10 walks and 11 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. The 40-man roster was full, so options were limited right now; we brought up right-hander Cory Lambert, being 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA in swingman duty for St. Pete. The 27-year-old Lambert had made four starts for the 2040 Coons, being bombed for a 7.20 ERA. Anybody remember the times when we always had waterproof bullpens?

Me neither.

Game 2
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 3B Maldonado – 2B Trevino – C Kilmer – RF Cortes – 1B Ramos – P Willett
PIT: 3B Iverson – CF Burch – C Petroni – 1B Marz – SS Rowell – 2B J. Cruz – LF Dirks – RF del Toro – P Dykstra

Shy hopes for a skinny W were bombed to ******* hell in the second inning. Rick Rowell took a pitch to the bum, Jose Cruz walked, and Rusty Dirks singled to load the bases. Manny del Toro struck out in a big spot, but with two outs Willett served up a 2-run double to Dykstra (…) and then a 3-run homer to Jonathan Iverson for a 5-0 Miners lead. And … ballgame. Burch and Giampaolo Petroni proceeded to reach base, and Willett was yanked in frustration right there. John Marz grounded out against the newly-arrived Lambert, making the first and last outs of the inning. The highlight for Portland soon enough turned out to be Lambert, who pitched 4.1 innings of scoreless relief, although not without giving up another two hits to Dykstra, which was one of those weird revenge rampages; going 3-for-3 with a 4-hit shutout through six innings, eight years after being traded in an ill-advised deadline move. Good for him. (turns back to the barkeeper) You didn’t understand me. *Hydrogen* *cyanide* … *in that drink*!

Dykstra would finally make an out in the seventh inning, flying out to center against Chuck Jones with the bases loaded and two gone already. Never mind that Jones had already waved in a run charged to Rella with a Rusty Dirks single, and del Toro reached on a Hunter error. The Coons had sunk low enough by now to have Hamill pitch the eighth inning in a 6-run loss. The Raccoons were retired in order in the ninth inning by Dykstra, who finished a 4-hit shutout. 6-0 Miners. Lambert 4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

Game 3
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 3B Maldonado – 2B Trevino – C Kilmer – RF Reyna – 1B Ramos – P Brown
PIT: RF Dirks – 2B J. Cruz – SS Lastrade – 1B Marz – CF Burch – C Wiersma – 3B Iverson – LF Duncan – P Pruneda

The Raccoons cobbled together two runs on four singles in the first inning, and that was even with Romero being caught stealing. Maldonado scored Hunter from third base on a fielder’s choice before Trevino and Kilmer hit a pair of 2-out singles to get Maldonado home. Reyna flew out to Nick Duncan to end the inning. Josh Brown then got raked immediately. Dirks lined out to him to begin the bottom 1st, but Cruz and Omar Lastrade ripped hard singles, Marz crushed a double to tie the game, and OF COURSE ******* Ken Wiersma landed a 2-out single to give Pittsburgh the lead. Brown also could not get the bunt down in the second after Berto hit a leadoff single. Berto stole second base somehow, his first of the year, and scored on a 2-out single by Hunter to get the teams even at three. The inning ended with Manny popping out.

The score remained 3-3 through five, though while the scoring stopped, the loud hits of Brown really didn’t. The Raccoons were just luckier to get a defender in the way. Brown then got in the way in the sixth inning, coming to bat after 2-out hits had put Reyna and Ramos into scoring position. We looked at the pen and shrugged; it would be hard to squeeze out four innings even if they did take the lead. And since when do we get hits with runners in scoring position anyway? Brown was left to hit for himself, swung and missed twice, and then somehow chucked an 0-2 pitch over a jumping Iverson for a 2-run double. No, I don’t understand baseball. Baseball is weird. Romero singled up the rightfield line, scoring Brown from second base on a clumsy play by Rusty Dirks, taking the lead to 6-3, then was caught stealing to end the inning. Brown went on to get another five outs before running out of steam in the seventh inning, leaving with two outs and Nick Duncan on third base. Jon Craig got Jose Cruz to ground out to keep him stranded, then retired the Miners in order in the eighth. Hamill was in for the ninth, got two outs, then allowed a single to Duncan. Manny del Toro pinch-hit in the #9 hole and grounded out. 6-3 Coons. Romero 2-5, 2B, RBI; Kilmer 2-4, RBI; Reyna 2-4; Ramos 2-3, BB; Brown 6.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (3-1) and 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI;

In other news

May 5 – BOS 1B Alex Zacarias (.233, 6 HR, 13 RBI) hits three home runs in an 8-6 win over the Crusaders in New York, driving in five runs as major contributor for the W. The achievement comes with an asterisk, as Zacarias does not land his third homer until the 12th and deciding inning, a 2-piece that ends up standing up as the margin of victory.
May 7 – NAS 3B/SS Brad Critzer (.244, 3 HR, 8 RBI) goes deep for the only run in the Blue Sox’ 1-0 win over the Capitals.
May 9 – Topeka super utility Felix Marquez (.321, 3 HR, 11 RBI) lands five hits, including two homers and a double, in a 4-3 win over the Aces. The bundle of base hits include the 12th-inning walkoff home run off the Aces’ Brian Frain (0-1, 5.75 ERA).
May 10 – VAN OF Jerry Outram (.413, 3 HR, 25 RBI) is expected to be out two weeks with a knee sprain.
May 10 – The Cyclones pick up 2B/1B Thomas Gould (.261, 3 HR, 13 RBI) from the Bayhawks for SP Rafael Pedraza (2-3, 3.89 ERA).
May 11 – SAC OF/2B Alfonso Cedillo (.373, 3 HR, 9 RBI) has put together a 20-game hitting streak with a ninth-inning single in a 10-2 loss to the Knights.

FL Player of the Week: CIN RF/LF Juan Brito (.290, 3 HR, 18 RBI), batting .500 (9-18) with 2 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: BOS 1B Alex Zacarias (.257, 6 HR, 15 RBI), hitting .379 (11-29) with 3 HR, 7 RBI

Complaints and stuff

No, I don’t think this mess is fixable. Maybe if the ballpark collapses upon them and kills the entire roster. That would fix the mess. Other than that…

We will come home only briefly to play the Gold Sox, then skip back out to Indianapolis for the weekend, then return home again. Who made this schedule??

Not that it matters who they play. They can deliver a stinker against any team. Which makes me just ever so slightly concerned for our annual showcase event with the Willamette Institute for the Limbless and the Blind on May 26.

Fun Fact: 26 years ago today, Tim Robinson hit three home runs as the Titans downed the Buffaloes, 15-8, becoming the first Titan to achieve this feat.

In between Robinson and Zacarias this week there was only Adam Braun against the Indians in 2024.

Robinson, catcher by trade, was a third-year player when he did the honors to the Buffos. He hit 29 bombs that year while batting .268. He never fancied ball four, which means despite hitting 235 homers in his career and hitting .260 overall he never reached an .800 OPS in a qualifying season. He still was an All Star four times and won a ring with the Titans in 2025, during his second stint with the team. In between he was with the Falcons for a while. After ’25 he bounced around various teams before retiring after just two games with the ’29 Warriors, a .260/.319/.427 hitters with 235 HR and 820 RBI.

Adam Braun won Player of the Year honors in 2025, hitting .289 with 25 homers and 101 RBI for the Titans. He also took part in five championships with them (2022-25, 2031), in between snatching a sixth ring with the 2029 Condors. He won three Gold Gloves, too. For his 14-year career he hit .270/.359/.414 with 116 HR and 641 RBI. He drew about as many walks (550) as times he struck out (551).