[Westheim]

Raccoons (50-43) @ Canadiens (41-52) – July 18-20, 2051

I had to watch from home with Honeypaws and Esmeralda for company. I had found Esmeralda on the back pages of the Agitator’s small ad pages, offering companion services at an hourly rate that seemed excessive, but who can watch the Coons and Elks without emotional support by a companion. – Yes, Honeypaws. Or two companions. Stop bickering. … Anyway, the Elks ranked tenth in runs scored, just ahead of us, and ninth in runs scored, well behind us – we were fourth in that regard. They had a -68 run differential, compared to -1 for the Critters. We had a 6-3 lead in the season series, and we’d meet them without first-rate catcher Julio Diaz, starter Bill McMichael and a few relievers.

By the way, Esmeralda, I know it’s July, but isn’t it cold on your legs with that short a skirt and the boots only going up to the knees? – No? – Okay. I am just concerned.

Projected matchups:
Rafael de la Cruz (2-3, 3.65 ERA) vs. Bill Drury (5-4, 2.10 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (10-6, 3.16 ERA) vs. Danny Orozco (7-8, 4.83 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (11-4, 3.02 ERA) vs. Terry Herman (8-10, 4.58 ERA)

After an off day on Monday, a left-hander on Wednesday with Orozco. What novel concept!

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P de la Cruz
VAN: 1B Wheeler – SS Mullen – RF Outram – LF Toohey – 3B Burgos – 2B DeMarco – CF T. Turner – C L. Miranda – P Drury

Portland went up 1-0 in the first with a Lonzo triple and a Pucks single, and Esmeralda and me high-fived from all the excitement while continuing to sip guacamoles, but then Raffy de la Cruz’s scoreless streak ended right away with a Dan Mullen homer to center. That was a long one, and I wasn’t too pleased about it. Jesus Burgos doubled over Puckeridge’s head and scored on a 2-out single by scratch catcher Luis Miranda to give the Elks the lead in the bottom 2nd, 2-1, but it was then de la Cruz who tried to get the offense started in the third inning by singling up the middle. Drury walked the bags full right away, but that made it three on and nobody out, which was usually bad news with this team. – Yes, Esmeralda. It usually works better with just two on.

Each of the 3-4-5 batters would get an RBI however to turn the deficit into a 4-2 lead, though Pucks (sac fly) and Maldo (groundout) did so while making outs. Crum doubled home Waters, Suggs whiffed to end the inning; eh, I was just happy to get ANYTHING on the board at this point. The bags were full again with Suzuki, Crispin, and Waters in the fourth inning, then with one out, but this time pops by Lonzo and Pucks didn’t push anybody across – and in good counts even…!

In his 52nd Coons at-bat, Sean Suggs then hit his first homer, a solo job in the fifth inning to make it 5-2. Suzuki reached with a single to left-center, and then Ed Crispin hit another bomb, 7-2! That was the end of Drury, although Raffy also hit a rough patch. He was taken deep *again* by Mullen to begin the bottom 6th, filled the bases with nonsense like a hit batter and a walk in addition to a Tim Turner single, but struck out Miranda to exit the jam. Jorge Uranga and Jeff Wheeler went down in the bottom 7th, but then Mullen, who was filing a shiny application to become our newest mid-level player pest, tripled to center. That was it for de la Cruz, with Sencion coming out to face Jerry Outram, whom he got with a lazy fly to center. Then we got cute and tried to sneak an inning with Snyder, which worked more so-so. Bryce Toohey (waves politely at former player on the TV) singled, Jesus Burgos walked, and Nick DeMarco shot one into a 6-4-3 double play that almost took Lonzo’s glove and arm off. – I agree, Esmeralda. Protection is very important!

While Tim Turner made the last out in the eighth, he didn’t do so until after Synder plated Toohey from third base with a wild pitch. The Coons had the bags full in the ninth with Crum and Suzuki singles and Crispin getting nailed. Lefty Tim Abraham entered with two outs and the pitcher up, which prompted a right-handed reaction in Ruben Gonzalez, but he struck out, which meant it was still a 3-run game and Hitchcock got the ball in the ninth. We could have kept Snyder in there, though. He gave up a hard double to Damian Moreno (who?), and while Wheeler’s hard drive to center ended in Suzuki’s glove, it popped back out of there, which the cruel umps ruled a no-catch and an error, while a run scored. Wheeler was confused though, having missed a signal from the ump at second base, and stayed at first, and that cost the Elks the game, maybe, when Outram spanked into a game-ending double play. 7-5 Coons. Crum 2-5, 2B, RBI; Suzuki 3-4, BB; Crispin 3-4, HR, 2 RBI;

No, no, Esmeralda, that was it. We’re done for today. – Why are you charging me for four hours? The game took only three hours and three minutes! – *Fine*. $1,200 it is.

Yes, Esmeralda, tomorrow at seven again.

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Crum – RF J. Maldonado – C Suggs – LF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P Wolinsky
VAN: LF Escobido – 1B Wheeler – 3B Burgos – RF Toohey – CF Burkhart – SS Mullen – 2B DeMarco – C L. Miranda – P Orozco

Esmeralda complained about the lack of atmosphere in my apartment, where she might even have a point. I wasn’t one to put up drapes; all that did was to give Honeypaws something to climb and ruin with his claws. She wasn’t too happy about my offer of cheering for the Coons with a brown foam finger, either. Women! So hard to please! …

Despite Suzuki being the only position player batting left-handedly on either team for this middle game, offense was initially slow against the pair of southpaws. Both teams only had one hit through three innings, but the Elks slapped out three singles in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. The Raccoons remained mentally and physically absent, and Wolinsky laid an egg in the fifth, giving up a leadoff single to the opposing pitcher, the bane of my existence, and then nailing Angel Escobido. He added a wild pitch and a 2-run double to Wheeler, 3-0. Toohey also walked, and another wild pitch scored Wheeler, which was the end of Wolinsky’s outing. Waldo replaced him, but gave up an RBI single to Tim Burkhart, closing Bubba’s line with five runs stuck into his hapless pelt. – What do you mean, Esmeralda, whether he forgot the safeword?

The Coons finally got on base in the sixth, with Suzuki drawing a walk and Waters doubling. The two runners were brought in by Lonzo with a groundout and Crum with a 2-out single, but Maldo grounded out to Burgos to end the little rally. It was also really the only rallying noise the Raccoons ever made. Ken Crum would hit a double in the ninth inning off Abraham, but nothing good happened before or after that. 5-2 Canadiens. Crum 2-4, 2B, RBI; Medina (PH) 1-1;

(counts off more hundos) Trust me, Esmeralda, I am just as annoyed as you that they didn’t force the game into a fourth hour. Or just win the stupid thing outright.

I thought at first I’d be on my own for Thursday, which was a day game, and Esmeralda said she didn’t work during the day, but then got interested when I mentioned it was a rubber game.

So she’s a baseball fan after all!?

(opens door on Thursday before game time) Hello, Esmeralda. Come on in. – Oh hello, Mrs. Kuczyinski from 5B. – No, no, I don’t have a girlfriend now. She’s a professional!

Honeypaws, Mrs. Kuczynski fainted into her laundry basket. Do something.

Esmeralda, what’s that whip for?

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
VAN: 1B Wheeler – SS Mullen – RF Outram – LF Toohey – 3B Burgos – CF Burkhart – 2B DeMarco – C L. Miranda – P Herman

Wheats nailed the first guy he faced and walked the second, which was a bit rough to watch. – What do you mean, Esmeralda, rough costs extra? – They’re always rough to watch! … A double play and a pop bailed him out, though, and the game remained scoreless until the third inning, when Wheeler and Mullen reached base again on a walk and a double. Jerry Outram, not quite the scare of previous decades, popped out again, but this time Bryce Toohey found a gap for a 2-run double. Burgos grounded out to Maldonado to end the inning. While the Coons had only one hit through four innings, Wheatley was taken apart in the fourth for good. Burkhart led off with a triple, and while DeMarco popped out, the assault then got relentless. RBI single for Miranda, a walk to Wheeler (once again…), Mullen’s RBI double, an infield single by Outram, and another RBI single for Toohey made for a 6-0 score and an early exit. Esmeralda was kind enough to pat my head while I was rocking back and forth, bawling into my knees, pulled up to my striped face, and begging for mercy.

I missed the fifth inning, having to reassure Mrs. Kuczyinski, who knocked at the door with concern, that all was fine. I wasn’t sure though whether she bought it, given the earlier screams, my wet face, and that Esmeralda in her above-knee black leather boots stood behind me with a stern look, and the whip.

Paul Miles was in for long relief, which amounted to two innings only and four more runs on the board, at which point it was mostly game over and Esmeralda had to endure three innings of me whimpering while stuffing my snout with cookies; the Raccoons’ rallying efforts were limited to three singles and one run in the eighth inning, and the less said about it, the better. 10-1 Canadiens. Sivertson (PH) 1-1; Kaufman (PH) 1-2;

At least the Elks got done with the Critters in under three hours and the whole shebang cost me only another $900.

What do you mean, Esmeralda, shebang is extra?

Raccoons (51-45) @ Knights (52-43) – July 21-23, 2051

The Knights were eight games out in the CL South, while the Coons were still leading the North beyond reason. The Crusaders had by now rallied into second place though and were only a game and a half back, so more performances like in Elk City….. Atlanta sat second in runs scored and eighth in runs allowed with a +53 run differential. They had also swept the Coons in the first set played this year.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (4-5, 3.94 ERA) vs. Esteban Duran (6-7, 5.92 ERA)
Juan Mercado (4-5, 3.82 ERA) vs. Joe Byrd (7-9, 4.66 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (3-3, 3.70 ERA) vs. Kodai Koga (8-7, 3.50 ERA)

Only righties on the horizon.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Salcido
ATL: 1B de Luna – 2B Del Vecchio – RF Alade – CF Royer – C Cass – LF E. Avila – SS Housey – 3B Thibault – P E. Duran

The Knights took the lead without making an out when Ted Del Vecchio (gnashes teeth) doubled home Rich de Luna, whom Salcido had regrettably walked to begin the bottom 1st. The Coons’ Crum opened the top 2nd with a single to left, but was forced out by Maldo’s grounder to de Luna. Suggs doubled, hopefully continuing his defrosting process, and Crispin walked onto the open base, bringing up Suzuki with the bags stacked. He got to 2-1 in the count, then made it a 2-1 score with a double off the wall in leftfield, Crispin having to hold at third base due to Eduardo Avila getting a favorable bounce. That was it, however, as Salcido was carved up for a strikeout and Waters couldn’t get the ball past Avila as Suzuki did. Salcido also gave the lead right back in the bottom 2nd, and then some, putting the first three batters on base. Bobby Thibault singled home the tying run in Avila, and Matt Housey scored on a groundout by de Luna, 3-2 Knights. It didn’t get much better with Salcido, who was getting pelted with rockets left and right, not all of which fell in, although a Housey double, a grounder, and a wild pitch added a run for the Knights after all in the fourth inning.

Housey was lost to injury on a leaping grab to rob Ken Crum of a liner, replaced by David Hardaway, who grounded out after leadoff singles by Tyler Cass and Eduardo Avila in the bottom 6th. Thibault popped out, but Salcido walked Bill Reeves, then was yanked. Waldo got Maldo to snag a de Luna bouncer to strand three runners. Teams grinded away at each other scorelessly, with Lillis and Cruz following after Waldo. But the tying run was back in the box in the ninth inning when Puckeridge reached base on a throwing error by Del Vecchio. Crum grounded out, Maldo hit a sac fly, but that still didn’t get the tying run out of the box, nor did Sean Suggs easy flyout to center. 4-3 Knights. Suzuki 1-2, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – P Mercado
ATL: 1B de Luna – CF Royer – RF Alade – LF E. Avila – C Cass – 2B Strohm – 3B Thibault – SS W. Acosta – P J. Byrd

Lonzo hit a double in the first, which amounted to nothing, while Mercado allowed the first two base hits to Jon Alade, a single in the first, where he was caught stealing, and then another single in the fourth, which ended with Avila popping out to Crum in shallow left. Chris Strohm hit a single in the bottom 5th, but was doubled up on a Thibault grounder to Lonzo. The Coons meanwhile scattered four hits through five innings, getting absolutely nowhere in the process in this scoreless game. Nobody on either side drew a walk.

Pucks doubled with one out in the sixth, which amounted to as much as Lonzo’s first-frame double. De Luna and Steve Royer found holes for 2-out singles in the bottom 6th, but Alade softly lined out to Lonzo. Bottom 7th, Tyler Cass clanked a shot off the fence in right for a 1-out triple, but the Knights sputtered just as well, with Strohm lifting a foul pop to Mitch Sivertson. Bill Reeves pinch-hit in that situation, but grounded out to Lonzo to strand the precious runner.

The knot was finally hewn through in the eighth – and by the Coons! Puckeridge socked a 2-out homer to left, giving Portland a 1-0 lead! Crum then romped a triple to right, Maldo singled through the left side, and Suggs grounded out to keep it at 2-0. But behold – Atlanta answered. PH Bob Mancini was walked by Mercado, then was immediately doubled home by de Luna sticking a ball into the rightfield corner. But Mercado stranded de Luna at third with a pair of grounders to Sivertson, completing eight fine innings. The ninth led nowhere for the Critters, although markedly Matt Waters was hit for to end an 0-for-4, 3 K day with Sivertson on base and two outs, but Glodowski was good enough for another ****** out. Hitchcock got the ball against the 4-5-6 batters with no safety net available. Avila popped out, Strohm whiffed, but in between Cass had singled to center, bringing up professional pest Ted Del Vecchio. Hitchcock fought him to 2-2, then got a grounder to Sivertson at second base to end the inning and finally grab a game from the Knights. 2-1 Raccoons. Puckeridge 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Crum 2-3, BB, 3B; J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Mercado 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (5-5);

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P de la Cruz
ATL: CF Royer – 2B Del Vecchio – RF Alade – C Cass – 3B Thibault – 1B de Luna – LF Reeves – SS W. Acosta – P Koga

Like on Friday, the Knights scored without making an out; Royer singled, stole second, and scored on Jon Alade’s single, 1-0. Cass would draw a walk after that, but Thibault grounded into a double play. It was 2-1 Coons in the top 2nd, however, with Crum getting on to begin the inning and Crispin whacking a homer to right to flip the score…! Glodowski hit a double after that, but this only served to clear the pitcher’s spot in the inning, and the Raccoons put up the minimum over the next three innings. The Knights did not; while de la Cruz held on for a while, Bill Reeves smacked a leadoff triple to right in the bottom 5th. And here, Willie Acosta popped out to third base, which kicked the door to an escape path out of the inning wide open, but de la Cruz was beaten by Koga for an RBI single, walked Del Vecchio, and fell behind on an RBI single by Alade, 3-2. Cass popped out to Waters, finally ending the inning. Acosta added a fourth and final run on de la Cruz with another teeth-gnashing 2-out RBI single in the bottom 6th, driving home Thibault, whom de la Cruz had nicked at the start of the inning.

Gonzalez and Suzuki disappeared without a trace to begin the top 7th, much like how the Coons had done for most of the last four innings. Crispin, however, drove a single through the middle, and then scored briskly on a 2-out double to left by Glodowski, 4-3. Maldo pinch-hit for Raffy de la Cruz, faced a single pitch, dished it into the right-center gap for a game-tying double, scored a minute later to take the lead when Waters singled through the right side, gave Raffy, who was about half his age and now in the lead, a pat on the head on his way back down the dugout stairs, and then returned to the far end of the dugout to his keg o’ beer and pot of honey, sticking a paw back into either of them, his day over.

Then it was off to the pen, getting nine out with a 5-4 lead. Sencion got three, despite having to work around a leadoff infield single by the blitzing Steve Royer. Willie Cruz did the eighth, whiffing two before getting nearly unhorsed by a Waters error for a change. But both held on, and then the Coons tacked on with two outs in the top 9th. Glodowski got on when reliever Mike Hall fumbled and kicked a comebacker, after which Sean Suggs batted for Cruz and socked a ball up the leftfield line for an RBI double and an insurance run. Sivertson ran for him, but Waters’ liner to left was snatched by Bill Reeves to end the inning and call out Hitchcock. Del Vecchio, always annoying, drew a walk, but that was the only Knights runner in the ninth, and he didn’t score. 6-4 Furballs. Waters 2-5, RBI; Crispin 3-4, HR, 2 RBI; Glodowski 2-4, 2 2B, RBI; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI; Suggs (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI;

In other news

July 18 – PIT SP Kevin Nolte (12-6, 3.17 ERA) fires a 3-hit shutout with five strikeouts against the Rebels. Pittsburgh wins 4-0.
July 21 – More pitching for the Cyclones, who acquire SP Garrett Giustino (7-4, 5.02 ERA) from the Condors for a prospect.
July 22 – PIT INF Victor Corrales (.280, 10 HR, 67 RBI) smashes three hits, including two homers, and five RBI in a 14-2 smashing of the Scorpions.

FL Player of the Week: DAL LF/CF Juan del Toro (.361, 13 HR, 44 RBI), slamming .417 (10-24) with 4 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN SS/3B Dan Mullen (.282, 2 HR, 31 RBI), poking .571 (12-21) with 2 HR, 7 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Give or take my choice of companions – Steve from Accounting refuses to reimburse me for the $3,000 paid to Esmeralda from the company accounts – maybe not everything I do is wrong. Suggs is still hitting .224, but at least he got a few notable hits this week. Raffy de la Cruz, who made his last start as a 20-year-old on Sunday and will turn 21 on Monday, started with three no-decisions, then three losses and a 5.09 ERA at that point, but now won four straight, with a 2.36 ERA in those games, and it’s not like he faced the Loggers and Condors in that set of games.

But we’re last in runs scored again, posting another string of four games with three runs or less this week, and scoring 21 total runs in six games (and giving up 29).

The trade deadline is a week and a day away, and it seems like I will need to find another outfielder, preferably a left-hander. There’s not exactly a rich offering available however, especially on non-contending teams. And, well, in the North, almost every team can still talk themselves into being a contender at this stage. Except the Loggers. The Loggers!

Home stint next week, six games against the Aces and Condors. Grueling two-week road trip after that, but at least the travel itinerary will make sense: one big circle around the country, no wiggly back-and-forth.

Fun Fact: Saturday’s squeezer against the Knights was the 6,300th regular season victory for the Raccoons.

That’s against a total of 5,788 losses at that point, a .521 winning percentage.