'Rakers whacked by Lumberjacks

No, this is not a major announcement. Just the usual stupid game story.

CONCORD -- A little bit of Photoshop magic from blog artiste Dennis
Pimentel could have made it all better. If only a couple more runs could have been Photoshopped onto the Field 1 scoreboard. If only rubber cleats could have been Photoshopped onto the swift, if metal-cleated, shoes of Mike Yurkus.

So many shoulda-woulda-couldas that couldn't be fixed real-time. And so the Muckrakers went down Thursday in a disappointing start to the second half of the season in a 8-7 setback to the Lumberjacks.

Oh, the Muckrakers have their excuses, one supposes. The early (6:15) start messed with their biorhythms something fierce. And the ‘Rakers were a tad on the shorthanded side, just managing a 10-man alignment thanks to Pimentel making his 'Raker field debut of '07.

But the sad truth is the game and viable 'Rakers did all their hitting early, then went into a four -inning tailspin that cost them a win against a team they'd vanquished on Opening Day.

It all started so promisingly as the Boys of Muck roared out to a 7-2 lead after two frames. The Lumberjacks hauled out the ax and chipped, chipped, chipped away until they'd taken a one-run lead going into the bottom of the sixth and last inning. Alas, for the denizons of Raker Nation, there were no final-inning heroics to be had as there were the previous game.

What heroics there were came early. Randy Striegel walloped a triple to drive in Mike Gale and Yurkus, and Mat Petersen followed with a single to bring Striegel on home.

The Muckrakers added to their run total the very next inning, the big blow being Dre Thurston's RBI safety. Pimentel got an RBI the watchful way by drawing a "Moneyball"-like free pass with the bases loaded. Yurkus, Petersen, Dwayne Giron and Chris Wagnon also had hits in the uprising.

But there were only four more hits to be had after that, and the Muckrakers were left to contemplate their postseason situation, which is there's still plenty of time left, but they don't want it to get late early, if you catch the drift.

NOTES: Thurston gutted this one out, playing in pain suffered in a basketball injury the day before. He made his 'Raker debut at first base. ... Striegel put on a clinic at shortstop, making a variety of diving stops. ... Petersen made his '07 debut in left field and -- no surprise -- performed admirably. ... Joe DeLoach aided in the postgame effort after taking in Curt Schilling's near no-hitter against the A's.