[Westheim]

Raccoons (10-14) @ Crusaders (15-9) – April 30-May 3, 2068

The Crusaders were in a 3-way tie for the lead in the CL North, while the Raccoons were … (moves paws around for a bit, then just stares) … New York sat second in runs scored and third in runs allowed with a +28 run differential, so were they already out of their slump? Our pitching would probably find out real quick… As against the Loggers, the Coons had lost a dozen games on average to the Crusaders in the last three years, with 13 in ’67. New York had lost hot-hitting Jose Ambriz, perhaps for the season, last week, but that was their only injury.

Projected matchups:
Randy Rautenstrauch (2-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. A.C. Stebbins (2-2, 3.77 ERA)
Nick Walla (0-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. Aiden Shaw (2-0, 3.10 ERA)
Alex Dominguez (2-2, 3.68 ERA) vs. Jarod Nesbit (3-0, 3.06 ERA)
Tony Gaytan (1-3, 7.12 ERA) vs. Nick Waldron (3-1, 5.76 ERA)

Stebbins was the only southpaw the Crusaders had. Gaytan would pitch on short rest after being involved in the Titans double-header on Sunday, but he had been finished off in just 67 pitches there, and it wasn’t like regular rest was doing him any good…

Game 1
POR: SS Duhe – CF Ramirez – 1B Starr – LF Early – RF Dowsey – 2B Novelo – 3B Mendoza – C D’Alessandro – P Rautenstrauch
NYC: CF Box – 2B A. Rodriguez – 1B Starwalt – RF Takeuchi – 3B Frasher – LF J. Parker – C Norwood – SS O. Vera – P Stebbins

The Raccoons jumped out to an early lead with Eddy Ramirez and Joel Starr getting on base before Justin Dowsey rocked a 3-run homer to right-center, but the Crusaders got level even quicker against Rated-R, who allowed a double to Bryant Box, Diego Mendoza put Alex Rodriguez on base with clumsy paws in addition to a wobbly bat, and then Danny Starwalt raked a 3-run homer to left. Kazuhide Takeuchi tacked on another homer, and Rautenstrauch got beaten around with more and more hits, and was yanked before the inning was over, down 6-3, with runners in scoring position, two outs, and Rodriguez batting again. Since Kehoe had thrown 41 pitches on Sunday, he was not available for long relief, which put in Gabriel Rios, who gave up six runs of his own in a second inning, in which he threw 56 pitches and walked five Crusaders, some with the bases loaded – and didn’t get out of that either. Yamauchi came in, drilled Johnny Parker to force in another 2-out run and make it 13-3, and then popped out Zachary Norwood.

Yamauchi was taken deep by Takeuchi in the fourth inning for a solo homer, but apart from that pitched as efficient garbage relief as you could even hope for anymore, scattering three hits over four innings, but then still got stuck in the bottom 6th and let with Box and Rodriguez in scoring position and the mean bean Takeuchi batting again. McMahan came in to collect a strikeout, and the Coons wobbled through to the end between him and Josh C, who still found time to issue another two walks along the way, but didn’t allow any more runs. The Raccoons never did anything with the sticks after the Dowsey homer, unless you want me to mention that they had another three base hits and bobbled into three double plays. 14-3 Crusaders. Starr 1-2, 2 BB;

The Raccoons then snapped a little. Rautenstrauch (2-1, 8.50 ERA) was on waivers by Monday night, and Gabriel Rios (1-2, 7.80 ERA) got sent to St. Petersburg outright. We called up 27-year-old Vinny Morales, who had gone 0-5 with a 5.01 ERA with the 2066 Coons, but had a 1.75 ERA and 6 K/BB after four AAA starts, which was as much as it took to win a job here now. The other spot went to command-challenged left-hander Sean Thomas, because we didn’t have a ton of options otherwise.

Vinny Morales was slotted into the series finale, which would see him go on regular rest, pushing Gaytan into starting in Cincy on Friday.

Game 2
POR: SS Duhe – CF Wilson – RF Corral – LF Early – 1B Starr – C Flowe – 3B Mendoza – 2B Hills – P Walla
NYC: CF Box – 2B A. Rodriguez – 1B Starwalt – C D. Johnson – RF Takeuchi – 3B Frasher – LF J. Parker – SS J. Hernandez – P Shaw

Winless Walla was on his best behavior on Tuesday, and the Coons took an early lead on Starr, Mendoza, and Hills singles in the second inning, going up 1-0. Walla allowed leadoff singles to Johnny Parker in the third and Alex Rodriguez in the fourth inning. Neither scored, despite a walk issued to Starwalt after the Rodriguez hit, because Takeuchi kindly enough hit into an inning-ending double play. Walla then failed at bunting in the fifth with Hills on first base and one out and eventually made an unhelpful out on a soft liner to Eric Frasher – but Jared Duhe and Jaden Wilson then hit back-to-back home runs, 4-0, so at least he didn’t hit into a double play like the 24 other numbnuts on the roster did all the time.

The stuff wasn’t really there for Walla, but he seemed like he was gonna make it work for his first W of the season. When Rodriguez hit another leadoff single in the sixth, Walla got strikeouts on Starwalt and Takeuchi again, keeping the runner on base. Walla then pitched into the eighth and crashed, allowing straight hits to Zack Cooper and Bryant Box, walked Rodriguez, and left with a run in and nobody out, and the tying run in the box. Dover replaced him, struck out Starwalt, but a passed ball then moved up the runners and allowed David Johnson to bring in Box with a sac fly to center. McMahan was brought in for Takeuchi again and got another K, ending the inning. Valentin then 1-2-3’ed the Crusaders in the ninth inning to get Walla into the W column. 4-2 Raccoons. Starr 2-4; Hills 1-2, BB, RBI; Walla 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (1-2);

Game 3
POR: SS Duhe – CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – LF Dowsey – C Flowe – 3B Mendoza – 2B Hills – P A. Dominguez
NYC: CF Box – 2B A. Rodriguez – 1B Starwalt – C D. Johnson – RF Takeuchi – 3B Frasher – LF J. Parker – SS J. Hernandez – P Nesbit

Rodriguez singled in the bottom 1st, but was doubled up by Starwalt. David Johnson then began the second for New York with a single, but was ignored by the next three batters, but Jordan Hernandez singled to start the bottom 3rd and was finally drive in by Rodriguez with two outs. That marked the first run of the game, since the Raccoons were still feeling good about themselves after having won last night’s game. The Crusaders upped the score to 3-0 in the fourth with Johnson and Parker doubles and another RBI single for Hernandez.

The Coons got on the board with Hills’ 2-out triple to score Dowsey and his leadoff walk in the fifth inning. Dominguez left Hills on third base, while in the sixth inning the Coons made two outs before Corral was hit by Nesbit, Starr singled, and Dowsey drew a walk to fill the bases for Jake Flowe, who ran a full ground, then chopped an infield roller into play, and it died a hero for an RBI infield single when none of the Crusaders infielder could get to it quick enough to make a play, narrowing the score to 3-2. Nesbit walked in the tying run against Mendoza, Hills hit the go-ahead RBI single to center, but Dominguez finally struck out to end the 2-out meltdown for Nesbit. Dominguez was then almost undone with a Duhe error that put Frasher on base in the bottom 6th. Parker forced him out, made some circus on the base paths, but was ultimately stranded. Dominguez was done after six innings and 100 pitches, though, having allowed ten hits, but somehow being 4-3 ahead.

Nesbit was also out of the game, and left-hander Dan Graham put Wilson on base with one out in the seventh, but Wilson was caught stealing. Graham then put Corral and Starr on base, and the Coons then sent Marquise Early to bat for Dowsey – and got an RBI single for the effort! Flowe then flew out to right to end the inning. When Brian Hills then went deep to right in the eighth inning, 6-3, that left the AAA infielder a double shy of the cycle.

Kehoe had pitched a good seventh, but Thomas then came out, hit a guy, walked a guy, and gave up a run on Hernandez’ groundout. Dover then replaced him for a 4-out save perhaps and got rid of PH Chris Duhon to complete the eighth for the time being. The Raccoons would not tack on in the ninth inning, while the Crusaders then punched out with Box and Rodriguez against Dover, but Starwalt snuck a shy single with two outs in the bottom 9th. Johnson then grounded out to Mendoza to end the game. 6-4 Raccoons. Hills 4-4, HR, 3B, 3 RBI;

22-year-old Brian Hills hit his first ABL homer and had a career night, and wasn’t even the most-talked about 22-year-old for it. More on that below. We have another game to play here.

Game 4
POR: SS Duhe – CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – LF Dowsey – C Flowe – 3B Mendoza – 2B Hills – P Morales
NYC: CF Box – 2B A. Rodriguez – 1B Starwalt – C D. Johnson – RF Takeuchi – 3B Frasher – LF J. Parker – SS J. Hernandez – P Waldron

Duhe and Corral singles gave Vinny Morales a 1-0 lead to begin his rather unexpected season debut, which he began by allowing a rocket lineout from Box to Hills, then walked Rodriguez, threw a wild pitch, and somehow had the defense pick up the pieces from there and make nice plays to retire Starwalt and Johnson. Takeuchi and Hernandez were on the corners in the second when Morales rescued himself with a K on Waldron. Starwalt hit into a double play in the third and Waldron bunted into a double play in the fifth to keep Morales going, who wasn’t fooling many and was allowing a lot of hard contact. The score remained 1-0 through five though, also because the Raccoons only got one base hit after the opening singles.

Top 6th, Wilson drew a leadoff walk and then Waldron clipped Corral to put two on with nobody out. Starr then flew out to Parker, Dowsey whiffed, and Flowe rolled over to Rodriguez to score precisely zero runs. In turn, David Johnson took Morales over the wall in the bottom 6th to tie the score at one…

The trouble kids Mendoza and Ramirez (the latter batting for Morales) then hit singles in the seventh, only to get stranded. Dowsey then hurt himself in the field, pulling down a rocket that Jordan Hernandez hit off Sean Thomas. That was with two outs, and it moved Frasher and his leadoff walk to third base. Waldron then grounded to short, where Duhe ****** up the play for an error and New York took a 2-1 lead. From there, Thomas allowed an RBI double to Box, then was yanked for Josh C, who walked the bags full, gave up a 2-run single to Johnson, then walked Takeuchi to fill the bases again. Kehoe replaced that turd, then walked in a run against Frasher and finally gave up a grand slam to Chris Duhon. Nine runs after a 2-out error. Hernandez then grounded out. ******* *********. 10-1 Crusaders. Mendoza 2-4; Novelo (PH) 1-1; Ramirez (PH) 1-1;

The Raccoons left town, but not everybody left in the same direction. Technically we even left with 26 players.

Interlude: Trade

The Raccoons re-acquired Mike Hall, who sat unused at the far end of the Crusaders pen, having gotten just four outs for a zero ERA this season. The southpaw Hall had been with the Raccoons in 2064, pitching to a 3.28 ERA in 64 games. His stuff had diminished at 34 years old, but he was probably still better than whatever THIS (waves the last few box scores around) was.

The Crusaders got AA infielder Danny Lukes for it, who had been a tenth-rounder a while back and not remotely considered a prospect. They even chipped in $200k for Hall’s $1.14M salary.

Roster moves went along with the acquisition. Sean Thomas (0-1, 13.50 ERA) was right off the roster again, and Josh Carrington (2-3, 6.57 ERA) accompanied him to AAA with his 13.1 BB/9 that was genuinely bewildering. Jason Holzmeister returned to fill up the pen. There were no news on Dowsey yet and he was still on the roster on Friday.

Raccoons (12-16) @ Cyclones (12-15) – May 4-6, 2068

Cincy were hoping to gain some traction against the Raccoons, whom they had swept in the last meeting between those two teams in 2066. They ranked ninth in runs scored and tenth in runs allowed in the Federal League, with a -26 run differential. They were quite decent in terms of getting on base, but had neither speed nor power. Their pitching was troubled, but not quite the carousel that the Raccoons’ staff had become yet again.

Projected matchups:
Tony Gaytan (1-3, 7.12 ERA) vs. Shoma Nakayama (1-2, 4.99 ERA)
Girolamo Pizzichini (0-1, 3.99 ERA) vs. Blake Anderson (2-2, 3.03 ERA)
Nick Walla (1-2, 2.77 ERA) vs. Jose Aguilar (2-1, 3.19 ERA)

Aguilar was the only southpaw here, and we’d see him on Sunday. All was well with the world.

Game 1
POR: SS Duhe – CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – LF Early – 2B Hills – C D’Alessandro – 3B Arredondo – P Gaytan
CIN: RF F. Cruz – LF M. Avila – 1B M. Rubin – CF Schneider – 3B D. Baker – 2B Spurgeon – C Marty – SS Blackshire – P Nakayama

Starr and Early were on the corners to begin the second inning, but Starr was thrown out at home by Anthony Schneider on Hills fly to center for a cute 8-2 double play. Arredondo got on base though to begin the third inning and was bunted onwards by Gaytan. Jaden Wilson plated him with a 2-out single for the game’s first run, then was left on when Corral flew out to Fernando Cruz. Gaytan retired the Cyclones in order in the first two before Ryan Marty singled to center in the bottom 3rd. Dave Blackshire flew out easily to Corral, Nakayama bunted badly and got Marty forced out at second base – and what else would you expect from former Raccoons with a stick? – but Gaytan then lost Cruz on balls before Mel Avila popped out to Duhe and left a pair on base.

Gaytan continued to be decent and got around a Duhe error in the fifth inning to maintain the 1-0 lead, while Nakayama struck out seven through five innings, but Wilson singled, Corral reached on an error, and then Joel Starr awoke from a slumber and quadrupled the score with a huge 425-footer to right, 4-0! Top 7th, D’Alessandro hit a leadoff single, but was forced out by Arredondo. Gaytan failed to bunt, then hit a 2-strike single to put runners on the corners, but Duhe rumbled into a double play. Gaytan would deliver another shutout inning, but the pitch count went over 100 in the process and he was out of the game after that.

Holzmeister got two outs in the bottom 8th before walking Avila and Manny Rubin. McMahan came in as the fire brigade, not for the first time this week, and again got a crucial K on Anthony Schneider to end the inning. He would also retire Dallas Baker to begin the ninth, while the last two outs were then collected by Yamauchi for a combined 2-hit shutout! 4-0 Furballs! Wilson 2-4, RBI; Starr 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Gaytan 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, W (2-3) and 1-2;

So Tony Gaytan booked himself a seat on team bus back to the airport on Sunday.

In the back, probably.

Game 2
POR: SS Duhe – CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – LF Early – C Flowe – 2B Hills – 3B Mendoza – P Pizzichini
CIN: RF F. Cruz – LF M. Avila – 1B M. Rubin – CF Schneider – 3B D. Baker – 2B Spurgeon – C Marty – SS Blackshire – P B. Anderson

Duhe walked, Wilson singled, and Corral parked a 3-run homer in the rightfield stands to begin the Saturday game. The Cyclones really put the pineapple on Pizza though with a leadoff walk drawn by Cruz and a Rubin homer in the bottom 1st, and then back-to-back 2-out triples by Baker and Austin Spurgeon to tie the game before Marty grounded out to Duhe…

Things calmed down slightly over the next couple innings until Rubin hit a leadoff double to left in the bottom 3rd and Schneider was called out on strikes, which he disagreed with quite vividly, and for which he was ejected from the game, leaving the Cyclones with Rafael Valencia in the cleanup spot, hitting .083. Pizza meanwhile hit into a double play after Flowe and Mendoza offered singles in the fourth, while Duhe reached base to start the fifth when Dallas Baker airmailed his grounder well over the head of Rubin for a 2-base error. Wilson singled to center, Valencia had the ball bounce off his chest, and Duhe would have scored anyway, but the second straight error allowed Wilson to second base. Corral flew out, Anderson walked the bags full with Starr and Early, and Flowe hit a rocket to right, but was denied by Cruz; the ball was deep enough for a sac fly though and Wilson came home, 5-3. Hills grounded out to leave a pair on, and Pizza allowed a single, walk, and balk in the bottom 5th, and somehow didn’t give up a run for it…

Mike Hall made his second-stint Coons debut in the bottom 6th when Will Buras batted for Anderson with Marty on second and two outs; he got a grounder to Starr to end the inning. He would get two more groundouts from Cruz and Avila, then handed it off to Dover in a double switch, Eddy Ramirez replacing Early in left with Dowsey still banged up. Dover got an out to complete seven, and Ramirez lifted a 2-out solo homer in the eighth to extend the lead to 6-3. Dover then completed the eighth in order against Cincy, after which Corral and Starr got on base to begin the ninth, and were orderly left on second and first base, respectively by Novelo, Flowe, and Hills. Pedro Valentin then closed the thing down in order. 6-3 Critters. Wilson 3-5, RBI; Starr 1-2, 3 BB, 2B; Early 0-1, 3 BB; Ramirez 1-1, HR, RBI;

On Sunday, Justin Dowsey was finally placed on the DL with a herniated disc. He was out for the rest of the month. The Coons had to bring up an outfielder, and Jamie Colter looked like the best bet for someone actually hitting down in AAA. He was knocking .350 with two homers down there.

Game 3
POR: SS Duhe – CF Ramirez – 1B Starr – LF Early – RF Corral – 2B Novelo – C Flowe – 3B Mendoza – P Walla
CIN: RF F. Cruz – LF M. Avila – 1B M. Rubin – CF Schneider – 3B D. Baker – 2B Spurgeon – C Reyna – SS Blackshire – P Jo. Aguilar

The skies looked like they couldn’t be trusted, but the game began on time and with the Coons leaving Ramirez and Early on the corners in the first inning. There was a decent amount of Walla-whacking then going on, as Cincy took a 1-0 lead in the bottom 2nd on straight singles by Baker, Spurgeon, and Victor Reyna, who go the RBI, before Blackshire hit into a double play. Cruz doubled in the third, but was left on, and there was another single in the fourth, but now Reyna hit into the double play. Meanwhile, Walla hit a single himself to begin the top 3rd, but was double off by Duhe, then bunted badly to kill Mendoza’s single in the fifth inning…

No two puzzle pieces wanted to fit together for the Raccoons in this Sunday game, which included Walla’s own four paws. He threw a wild pitch in the fifth, but got away, and in the sixth allowed a run on Rubin and Spurgeon singles, then another one on Reyna’s 2-out RBI double to left. He ended up going seven innings while giving up ten base hits, which was decidedly too many, but then again the offense was entirely dead and had four hits for no runs against Aguilar through seven. Duhe homered to left against Marc Timmons in the eighth, and Starr singled with two outs, but was left on by Early. Holzmeister and McMahan put a scoreless eighth together to keep it a 2-run game, with left-hander John Faughnan entering in the ninth. He had 19 strikeouts to a singular walk through his first 15 innings of the year, but Corral dropped a leadoff single into right. Hills batted for Novelo, but whiffed, and Flowe fanned outright. Colter then batted for Mendoza – and got rung up on three pitches. 3-1 Cyclones. Ramirez 2-4, 2B;

In other news

April 30 – SAC SP Eric Stengel (3-2, 2.97 ERA) carries a no-hitter into the ninth inning with a 5-0 lead against the Pacifics, but walks two, and then gives up an RBI single to 3B/2B David MacFarlane (.248, 2 HR, 12 RBI). Inefficient relief and incompetent defense then let the Pacifics get back to within two with the tying runs on base without even allowing another base hit. All runs in the 5-3 game are on Stengel, but only one is earned.
May 1 – The Stingers’ SP Jay Williams (3-1, 3.75 ERA) completes his 5-0 game against the Pacifics in the ninth inning for a 3-hit shutout.
May 1 – The Warriors beat the Gold Sox, 1-0 in 11 innings, with a walkoff triple by 3B/LF/CF/1B Beau Metz (.247, 3 HR, 10 RBI).
May 2 – No-hitter! Just a tender 22 years old, SFW SP Alex Diez (2-2, 2.43 ERA) walks four and strikes out nine, and allows no base hits to beat the Gold Sox, 2-0. This is the first no-hitter in almost two full years when Sean Sweeton pitched his second career no-hitter with the Knights against Vancouver.
May 4 – The Knights beat the Buffaloes, 9-3, although it takes them 13 innings to break out with a 6-run decider.
May 5 – The Condors beat the Rebels, 5-4 in 14 innings.

FL Player of the Week: NAS RF Austin Gordon (.331, 8 HR, 30 RBI), batting .407 (11-27) with 3 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: ATL RF/LF Javier Acuna (.374, 7 HR, 20 RBI), going .536 (15-28) with 3 HR, 5 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: SAC 3B/SS/LF/RF J.P. Gallo (.341, 8 HR, 23 RBI)
CL Hitter of the Month: VAN OF Tyler Chenette (.471, 4 HR, 21 RBI)
FL Pitcher of the Month: WAS CL Steve Keller (4-0, 0.56 ERA, 7 SV)
CL Pitcher of the Month: VAN SP Vince Ellison (4-0, 2.19 ERA)
FL Rookie of the Month: PIT 1B Mike White (.292, 7 HR, 18 RBI)
CL Rookie of the Month: CHA OF Jonathon Barber (.229, 3 HR, 17 RBI)

Complaints and stuff

Oh boy, a winning week! What did I do to deserve this? Yes, it was only 4-3, but you gotta take what these buggers give you.

We made A LOT of roster moves this week, and I am not sure they will work out. (cough) Vinny Morales (cough). I have no idea what the **** happened to Carrington, but maybe the AAA coaches can figure him out. That aside, Rated-R went unclaimed and arrived in St. Petersburg by the weekend. Yay. Down there he promptly pitched 7.1 shutout innings for the Alley Cats.

(emphatic shrug!)

We’re home for a couple of days to play the Gold Sox now, after an off day on Monday. We’ll get beaten up by the Loggers on the weekend. I don’t think the Gabriel Rios plan is still on.

Fun Fact: The Warriors have the most no-hitters in the 2060s.

Just three though, don’t get excited. The Knights have two. Nobody else has more than one. For the Warriors, Alex Diez this week was preceded by Kenny Donnelly in 2064, and Evan ******* Alvey in 2060.

Last Raccoons no-hitter? Victor Salcido’s pair of no-no’s in 2050 and 2051. We haven’t even been involved in one against us since then. Tijuana’s Paul Paris no-hit us in 2051, but that was before Salcido turned out #2.