5/21/2013-Larry Rodriguez slides back into first before the ball makes it to Michael Lange. (Photo by Marty Mayfield)

By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer

RATON -- The Osos continued to improve Monday while the Fuego struggles continued. Playing in Gabriele Park in very cold and windy conditions, Raton topped Santa Fe 12-6, the same score that saw the Osos earn their seasons first victory Sunday.

Still, while Raton coach Ray Hancock was happy with the victory, he still sees room for improvement.

"I feel good for my boys," he said. "Second professional win, which makes everybody happy. Im a little bit disappointed in our play. We had some breakdowns and mental flubs that shouldnt have happened. Of course, I am coaching a bunch of young guys, but were at the level now where some of the things were doing is not exactly in the best of baseball, let me put it that way."

Fuego coach BIll Moore also wasnt happy.

"The score was indicative of the way it went," he said. "We didnt play as well as we can and Raton has a better baseball team than we were for the last two nights."

The Osos scored in six of the nine innings, starting with three in the bottom of the first when A.J. Doyle doubled in Stedman Smith and Michael Lange, who walked against Santa Fe starter Nick Huff, and Zach Kreegar, who was hit.

Willie Frederick faced only 11 Fuego through three, while Raton added another trio of runs in the bottom of the third.

Logan Morello opened with a double, came home on a Louie Saenz single then Michael Lange homered to make it 6-0 Raton.

Santa Fe finally put numbers on the board when Larry Rodriguez singled, advanced on an error and came home on a Jimmie Maxwell double.

Frederick helped his own cause in the fifth when, after again shutting the Fuego down, he homered, making it 7-0 Osos.

"Couldnt have asked for anything more," Hancock said of his starter. "I was going to take him out in the fifth; he begged me to leave him in. Im glad I did. Thats when he hit the bomb. That was sort of like the icing on the cake. Im fairly lucky, most of my pitchers can hit. When I was picking my team, I was looking for pitchers who can hit."

Austin Parker took the mound for the Fuego in the sixth, giving up two more Ratons runs when Saenz singled, Lange walked, and, with two outs, a wild pitch and error brought them both home.

Santa Fe had its biggest inning in the seventh off Raton reliever Cameron Powers.

Josh Barnett walked, advanced on a wild pitch and put out, then hame home on the second out of the inning. But he third was more elusive, as Rodriguez and Odoms singled, Maxwell walked to load the bases and Joe BLair singled to close the gap to 9-5.

Raton matched the scoring off Santa Fe relievers Brandon Jordan and Charlie McCready.

Jordan hit one batter and walked another, then McCready got the second out of the inning. But an errors brought in two runners and after Lange singled, Kreegar for the third run of the stanza.

Charlie Calamia scored the final run of the game in the eighth for the Fuego, hitting a single and coming around on an error and put out.

With five Santa Fe errors and four by Raton, neither team had the best of days on the field, but Hancock saw plusses and minuses in the defense.

"We do have some mental breakdowns, which is showing, but, again, its the start of the season," he said. "Its a long season. I am finally getting a chance to put my real team together. Ive had to send some players home. Didnt want to, but thats the way it works. I think were coming together as a team. I think within five to 10 more games we should be extremely solid."

The Osos dont have five to 10 more games to get ready. With the Pecos Leagues straight-through-the-season schedule, theyll head to Santa Fe Tuesday for theirr first road trip of the year. Hancock said hes looking forward to the trip.

"First off, Im looking to go to Santa Fe. Ive never been there before, so I think Im going to enjoy that," he said. "I hope its a good game. Of course, I do hope we come out on top but I hope its a good game for the fans."

Moore said hell take it upon himself to get his squad where it needs to be.

"Im going to go home tonight and Im going to look at the books and Im going to see what I can do to get our team in a position to win," he said. "We havent lost a series. If we win the next two games, we split the series. Were still .500. Go on to the next series and see what happens there. Tomorrows a good day for us and a fresh start."

Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Fort Marcy Park.

Phil Grondin contributed to this story