[Westheim]

Raccoons (35-33) vs. Canadiens (35-32) – June 19-21, 2062

Things weren’t going great, and then the Elks hooved into town. Ugh! They had a 4-2 lead on the Raccoons for the year, and ranked ninth in runs scored and seventh in runs allowed. Seven-year Elk Danny Garcia was the only key player on the DL.

Projected matchups:
Angel Alba (4-7, 3.82 ERA) vs. Jeff Kozloski (5-5, 4.48 ERA)
Chance Fox (4-3, 3.30 ERA) vs. Rafael Mendoza (3-8, 4.10 ERA)
John Bollinger (1-1, 4.91 ERA) vs. Shane Fitzgibbon (4-4, 3.49 ERA)

One left-hander, which would be Fitzgibbon, who had come over from the Indians. The Raccoons would have given Lonzo and Brass a day off, but for different reasons. Lonzo got rest enough during our second Sunday rainout in short succession. Brass just needed to give Malik Crumble a go.

Game 1
VAN: 2B A. Castillo – CF B. Campbell – 1B J. Campos – RF C. Richardson – 3B C. Sullivan – LF Valencia – C Orphanos – SS Pierson – P Kozloski
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – C Perez – LF Crumble – RF Christopher – 2B Bribiesca – 3B N. Fox – P Alba

The Coons went up 1-0 in the opener on Angel Perez’ sac fly in the bottom 1st after Morris and Starr had set up camp on the corners with a pair of singles. The two hit-getters would put together another run in the fifth inning with a pair of doubles, and in between not a whole lot had happened. The Elks didn’t have a hit (but a couple of walks) and the Raccoons had left Lonzo at third in the third, and that had been about that. The bottom 5th continued with a 2-out Crumble single to put runners on the corners, and then Joey Christopher stuck a ball into the leftfield corner for a 2-run double, 4-0. Bribiesca struck out to end the inning, and Preston Pierson singled through the left side to begin the sixth to end Alba’s no-hitter, but was stranded on base with Kozloski’s bunt and two strikeouts on Alex Castillo and Brent Campbell.

The Elks came apart even more in the seventh inning. Kozloski hit Angel Perez with an 0-2 pitch with one out. Crumble and Bribiesca singled in the runner between them before Kozloski was yanked for long-ago Raccoons lefty Josh Mayo, who gave up an RBI double to Nick Fox. Alba still had enough fizz to complete the game with a little luck and struck out to leave a pair in scoring position, but cleared the Elks away in the eighth despite a leadoff single by Rafael Valencia, and sat on 99 pitches through eight. Damian Moreno grounded out to begin the ninth and Alba struck out Castillo for the 26th out. Brent Campbell rolled a 1-2 pitch to short then, Lonzo to first – and it was a shutout! 6-0 Raccoons! Morris 3-5, 2 2B; Starr 2-4, 2B, RBI; Mata (PH) 1-1; Crumble 2-4; N. Fox 2-4, 2B, RBI; Alba 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K, W (5-7);

Game 2
VAN: 2B A. Castillo – LF R. Valencia – 1B J. Campos – RF C. Cardenas – 3B C. Sullivan – CF B. Campbell – SS Spalding – C Orphanos – P R. Mendoza
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – C Perez – 3B Fowler – LF Mata – 2B Bean – P C. Fox

Chance Fox didn’t have such a great start on Tuesday, with Castillo drawing a leadoff walk and Rafael Valencia singling through the right side to put Elks on the corners with nobody out before they blundered into a strike-em-out-throw-em-out with Jose Campos and Valencia getting thrown out. Chad Cardenas grounded out and Castillo was left on third. The second was less great. Chris Sullivan singled, Campbell got nicked, and the damn Elks plated two runs with a Mike Orphanos double and a Mendoza sac fly, and while Castillo made the third out, Fox got smacked for another three hits and a third run in the third inning.

Tuesday’s Raccoons were meanwhile Monday’s Elks and couldn’t hit a thing. Fox never got his stuff together on this Tuesday. He lasted just five innings, getting waffled for nine hits and five runs. Following him was Barton, who pitched two innings, giving up another two runs in the second of those frames, in which Campos hit a leadoff single and Cardenas then mashed a homer to left. Bottom 7th, Starr singled and Brass doubled to left to begin the inning in a bid for some honorary run. Perez popped out, but Fowler hit a scratch RBI single to at least get on the board, which was as good as it got when Carlos Mata poked a 3-1 pitch into a double play. Joe-Chris pinch-hit to begin the bottom 8th and tripled and scored on a pinch-hit sac fly by Arellano, but that was again all the Coons scratched out in the inning, and they had nothing going in the ninth against Jeremy Garvey. 6-2 Canadiens. Brassfield 2-4, 2B; Christopher (PH) 1-1, 3B;

Game 3
VAN: 2B A. Castillo – C A. Maldonado – 1B J. Campos – LF C. Cardenas – 3B C. Sullivan – CF R. Valencia – RF D. Moreno – SS Graves – P Fitzgibbon
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Brassfield – C Perez – LF Crumble – RF Mata – 2B Bribiesca – 3B N. Fox – P Bollinger

Carlos Mata homered to left to begin the second inning for the first run in the rubber game, which came after Morris had gotten on base and having been caught stealing in the first. Lonzo also singled his way on base, but was left on. Brassfield hit a leadoff single in the third and … was caught stealing.

Bollinger held together quite nicely in the early innings, while Kenny Graves didn’t, suffering an injury on defense in the third inning and being replaced with Steven Spalding. Bollinger rung up seven through five innings and gave up just three singles, but the Raccoons took their time to tack some on. Lonzo got on base on a Chris Sullivan error in the bottom 5th, though. He moved up on Brass’ groundout, the first out of the inning, and then dashed around third base to score on Angel Perez’ single to left-center, 2-0. Bollinger would have had three groundouts in the sixth, but Nick Fox butchered Cardenas’ 2-out grounder for an error. However, Cardenas was also caught stealing on the first pitch to Sullivan, which ended the inning just fine. Fox then reached on an error himself to begin the home half of the sixth, when Sullivan peppered away his grounder for two bases. Bollinger and Morris had poor fly outs, but Lonzo slapped a single into center with two outs, and Fox got a quick start and scored to up the tally to 3-0. Brass knocked out Fitzgibbon with another single, but Perez flew out to center against Carson Miller to leave the pair on base.

Bollinger then was brushed into the bin very quickly in the seventh, allowing a leadoff single to Sullivan and a long homer to Valencia. Ricky H. and Murdock fumbled the rest of the inning together, while the Raccoons actually replied against lefty Jeremy Garvey by way of a 2-out double by Bribiesca and Fox’ RBI single. Starr pinch-hit in the pitcher’s spot, but grounded out to short, sending a 4-2 score to the eighth and Middleton. Cardenas and Sullivan singles crowded the right-hander, who struck out Valencia, then left for Rocco with two outs. The lefty Moreno popped out to Lonzo to end the threat before Garvey went back to the hill, who kept getting battered. Morris singled, Perez romped an RBI double, and Malik Crumble fired a 399-footer for a 2-run homer…! Brian Doster replaced Garvey, allowed two more singles to Mata and Bean, but Fox grounded out before Rocco could be forced to bat. The southpaw returned for the ninth inning and completed a 4-out save, but not without conceding a double to Spalding, and the runner to score on a 2-out balk… 7-3 Raccoons. Morris 2-4, BB; Lavorano 2-5, RBI; Brassfield 2-5; Perez 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Mata 3-4, BB, HR, RBI; Bean (PH) 1-1;

Trades

The Raccoons were off on Thursday, but busy on the phone. Two trades were made:

The Raccoons acquired 2B/SS Ken Sowell (.231, 16 HR, 53 RBI) from the Knights for nothing more than Carlos Mata (.262, 4 HR, 14 RBI).

The Critters also brought on MR Mike Pohlmann (2-0, 2.35 ERA) from the Titans in a trade for INF/RF Arturo Bribiesca (.284, 1 HR, 5 RBI).

Sowell was a free agent come the end of the year. He was a right-handed batter that was 32 years old but still adept up the middle. We had no illusions that he would hit homers for us (who ever did?) but the Bribiesca/Bean situation was just woeful. Pohlmann was perhaps still a serviceable starter, but for now just added to the pile of has-been right-handers in the pen that could go long.

The roster needed some balancing of course. Paul Barton (0-0, 2.08 ERA) was returned to the Alley Cats and instead we needed another outfielder and it was … ugh… a right-hander was required, actually. It was Jack Kozak, who barely qualified as an outfielder, and hardly qualified as a hitter…

Raccoons (37-34) @ Falcons (21-49) – June 23-25, 2062

The Falcons were in trouble. They were scoring the fewest runs in the league, and they were allowing more than 50% more runs than they scored himself, the second-most runs any team was on the receiving end for. Their run differential in June was at -116. They were down 2-1 in the season series. They were banking on the Raccoons laying an unprovoked egg or three.

Projected matchups:
Bobby Herrera (5-5, 3.36 ERA) vs. Leo Mendez (2-7, 3.24 ERA)
Nick Robinson (7-4, 2.90 ERA) vs. Phil Baker (3-5, 2.92 ERA)
Angel Alba (5-7, 3.40 ERA) vs. Danny Houghton (4-7, 4.38 ERA)

We would only get right-handers in this series.

Game 1
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – 2B Sowell – LF Brassfield – RF Christopher – C Perez – 3B Fowler – P B. Herrera
CHA: 3B Duhe – 2B Falcon – RF Washington – C L. Miranda – 1B Valcarcel – SS T. Taylor – LF Padgett – CF T. Stone – P L. Mendez

The top 1st was a mess, with Morris reaching by getting plonked, stealing second, and then getting another base on a wild pitch. Falcons things, perhaps? Starr got the RBI with a groundout, after which Sowell singled, Brass singled as well, and Christopher walked to fill the bases, all for Angel Perez to strike out and let Mendez off the hook. Perez had another K to strand a pair in the third inning, after Joe-Chris singled home Sowell with a single. Bobby H. allowed no hits the first time through, but walked Tim Stone in the third. He was left on, and instead Ben Morris cranked a 2-out solo homer in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 3-0. Joe Washington answered with a 1-out triple in the bottom 4th and scored on Luis Miranda’s sac fly, so gone was the no-hitter and the shutout.

But that hiccup aside Bobby was solid; his second hit allowed was a Mendez single in the sixth, which, y’know, the pitcher, really? He didn’t pile up strikeouts, but he had a lot of soft contact off him. The Raccoons were also famously displaying soft contact and didn’t tack on despite plenty of base runners, which included Bobby H. hitting a single for himself in the ninth inning. Yup, we were not hitting for Bobby, expecting him to finish the deal, although Washington was leading off the bottom 9th, the only lefty hitter in sight. Washington grounded out calmly to Sowell at second, and Miranda flew out to Christopher in shallow right on an 0-2 pitch. A 2-out walk to Jesus Valcarcel was somewhat concerning, but Danny Ceballos pinch-hit and grounded out on the very next pitch to end the game. 3-1 Raccoons. Brassfield 2-4, 2B; Christopher 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; B. Herrera 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W (6-5) and 1-4;

103 pitches for Bobby H., and if not for that damn triple his third shutout of the year.

Woulda coulda shoulda.

The Falcons dealt swingman Juan Juarez (2-5, 3.84 ERA) to the Condors on Saturday, bringing in two prospects. Former Critter Phil Baker remained the pitcher for that game, however.

Game 2
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – 2B Sowell – LF Brassfield – RF Christopher – C Perez – 3B Fowler – P Robinson
CHA: CF Washington – LF B. Snyder – 1B Valcarcel – SS T. Taylor – 3B Law – RF Padgett – C Ayon – 2B Duhe – P P. Baker

Coming up against his old team did Baker no good (although Lonzo was the only player that had been a Coon when Baker was with the team, so he might as well have pitched to a team of Martians), as the first SEVEN Raccoons in that game either got a single or a walk off him. Morris and Lonzo both stole a base before it devolved into station-to-station ball with RBI’s for Starr, Brass, Christopher, and Perez before Nick Fowler struck out in a full count. Robinson grounded out, bringing in a fifth run, and Baker had Morris 1-2 before nicking him in the chest, which seemed to be quite painful. Morris slouched to first base eventually, and Lonzo punished Baker with another 90 feet for everybody with a single to center. Starr grounded out sharply to Bryant Law to finally put Robinson on the hill. Ken Sowell then put Baker to bed with a leadoff jack to left in the second inning, his 17th homer of the year, and the first as a Critter!

Robinson cruised through the first three innings but got whacked a bit in the fourth inning, allowing straight sharp hits to Valcarcel, Trent Taylor, and Law, the latter two getting an RBI double and RBI single, respectively, to shorten the score to 7-2. The Coons were at that time shut up by Gary Ponds, pitching four scoreless innings of garbage relief, then put Christopher and Fowler on base with two outs in the seventh against righty Bernie Mojica. Robinson still batted for himself, fell to 1-2, but then slapped a single through the right side to drive in Joe-Chris from second base, 8-2. Morris then grounded out to second, leaving two on.

Robinson struck out ten Falcons, but got stuck in the bottom 8th. Craig Sayre’s pinch-hit single, his own error on a Washington comebacker, and then an RBI double for Brendan Snyder knocked him out with five outs to go. Sharp grounders by Valcarcel to Fowler and by Taylor to Bean at short (Lonzo had taken a seat after seven) against Murdock stranded the two runners and ended the inning. The ball went to Pohlmann in the ninth inning in his first Coons outing, and it didn’t go so great. Three rockets landed for hits, and when Danny Ceballos drove in Danny Ayon, who had driven in Cody Padgett, the Raccoons went to Ricky H. for the final out, a fly to Morris in center. 8-5 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-5, RBI; Starr 2-5, RBI; Brassfield 2-5, RBI; Christopher 2-4, RBI; Perez 2-4, RBI; Arellano (PH) 1-1;

Clumsily pitched, but the offense put up 14 hits, which was the third time this week they put up 14 or 15 hits. That was a bit of progress!

Game 3
POR: CF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – 2B Sowell – LF Brassfield – RF Christopher – 3B N. Fox – C Arellano – P Alba
CHA: SS T. Taylor – 2B Duhe – RF Washington – C L. Miranda – 1B Valcarcel – 3B Law – LF D. Ceballos – CF Padgett – P Houghton

Singles by Sowell, Christopher, and Arellano put a 2-out run together in the second inning as the Raccoons took the lead again. Alba grounded out to end the inning, but coming off the shutout and an extra day did not immediately allow stuff to the Falcons. In fact, he retired eight in a row before Houghton landed a base hit, because opposing pitchers were sometimes the worst threats…! Lonzo was then the focus in the bottom 4th, throwing away Jared Duhe’s grounder for two bases to begin that inning. Washington popped out to him, and Alba walked Luis Miranda for a second runner on base before Lonzo got another ball, a grounder from Valcarcel, which he turned for a double play to get out of the inning. Padgett and Houghton (!) had 2-out hits in the bottom 5th, but were stranded with a K to Taylor.

The Raccoons were making some solid contact, but often also solidly at the defender and had only four knocks in five innings. Lonzo and Starr opened the sixth with soft singles before Sowell hit a ball hard – a lineout to Duhe with Starr caught off base and put out in a 4-3 double play of the depressing sort. Lonzo was stranded on Brass’ pop. Top 7th, another chance with the first two batters reaching. Christopher walked, which marked the end for Houghton, and Jeff McFadden allowed a single to Fox that sent Christopher to third base with nobody out. How about an insurance run, boys!? The battery struck out and struck out, and Morris ran a full count before sneaking a grounder through between Taylor and Duhe for an actual RBI single…! Lonzo then lined out to Taylor to leave another pair on base. Sowell also lined out to Taylor in the eighth after Starr drew a leadoff walk. Brass socked a double off lefty Yoshinari Kuroiwa, putting a pair in scoring position for Christopher. He grounded out to first – no advance there – and then Fox flew out easily to Padgett, and another chance was frittered away.

So we gave a 2-0 lead to the wonky pen. Middleton was out first, nailed Taylor with an 0-2 pitch, and then was lucky that Duhe hit a sharp grounder right at Fox for a 5-4-3 double play. Ricky H. then struck out Washington to complete the eighth. Rocco handled the ninth well enough, despite a walk to Valcarcel. Law then struck out and Ceballos grounded out to Sowell to complete the sweep. 2-0 Raccoons. Brassfield 2-4, 2 2B; Christopher 2-4; Alba 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, W (6-7);

In other news

June 20 – Buffos SP Pablo Lara (6-4, 3.11 ERA) fires a 2-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in a 4-0 win against the Miners.
June 23 – CIN SP Matthew May (8-6, 3.94 ERA) shuts out the Gold Sox on two hits in a 4-0 win.
June 24 – A 12-11 game in 13 innings is played between the Pacifics and Rebels. L.A. first plates three runs in the ninth to tie the game and get to extras, where both teams put up a 3-spot in the 12th inning. The Rebels can’t answer the Pacifics’ lone run in the top of the 13th and take the loss.

FL Player of the Week: CIN INF Rich Monck (.325, 23 HR, 59 RBI), socking .500 (14-28) with 2 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR SP Angel Alba (6-7, 3.13 ERA), going 2-0 with 16 shutout innings, 11 K

Complaints and stuff

Angel Alba! Of all the starters we have piled up on the roster it’s *Alba* to get a Player of the Week! Remember also that Alba started the season 0-5 from his first six stars and since then has scrubbed down that ERA that was at 5.06 after six games. Taking only his last nine outings, his ERA is 2.05 against a 6-2 record.

5-1 week against the Elks and the dead Falcons, nothing to really complain about there.

The trades this week won’t fix the team, which, given how the division looks like, might conceivably stumble into first place at the end of the year, but it’s not a playoff team. Then we have no fewer than ten free agents on this roster (Middleton, Nye, Robinson, N. Fox, Sullivan, Fowler, Sowell, Rocco, Murdock, Ricky H. by decreasing order of salary), and that doesn’t include the guys with options, Bobby H. and Lonzo (player, vesting, respectively). There’s a rebuild coming. For now we’ll have to watch how things go the next four weeks to decide whether the rebuild starts in July or in November.

We go to Atlanta from here, then home to play 12 games in Portland in 11 days to the All Star Game, starting with Indy.

Fun Fact: Ken Sowell ranks second in the CL in home runs.

Eddie Marcotte has 19 for the Titans. I am entirely convinced that Sowell will plunge out of the top 3 before long.