One of the genuine nice guys in baseball called it quits this week and a familiar former Lynx was brought in to replace him. Thirty year old Ron Calloway called it a day May 18th after eleven seasons in professional baseball and his third season with Ottawa, (2001-2002, 2007). Ron had one stint in the majors, with the Montreal Expos in 2003, and finished with a career .278 average. Good luck to you Ron Calloway in whatever you decide to do next. You will be missed.

The following day, Ottawa recalled thirty six year old outfield veteran Pedro Swann from Reading to replace him on the roster. Swann, earlier in the season, hit .333, (3-9), with three RBI. This is the seventeenth season in pro baseball for Swann.

Ottawa won Friday 7-5, the last game in a four game series with Buffalo, to gain a split in the series and get back to the .500 mark at 19-19. It was a crucial game for the Lynx as a loss would have put them seven games back of the first place Bisons who appear to be on another serious roll this season and don’t seem, at least to this point, to be headed for a slump anytime soon. The win was even bigger for Ottawa as they lead 3-0 and 5-2 only to have Buffalo come back and tie the game at five heading into the bottom of the seventh. Not only would a loss have put Ottawa seven games back but to throw away a big lead but after losing the first two games and generally not playing well but gaining a win in game three Thursday afternoon, letting one slip away would be tough for the morale. Turns out, the Friday win was one of the the most exciting games I’ve seen this season with Lynx second baseman Joe Thurston playing not only his usual gold glove defence, but also knocking in both Ottawa runs in the seventh. The number one two hitters in the lineup, (Roberson and Thurston), knocked in four of the Lynx runs and Jason Jaramillo hit his first and the first Lynx home run in Ottawa. Matt Smith and Brian Sanches stopped the Bisons in the eight and ninth innings.

The Canadian holiday Victoria Day weekend of May 19-21 with an additional Tuesday morning start brought in the Pawtucket Red Sox, or as they are called by many, the Paw Sox, the Triple A affiliate of the Red Sox Nation. Pawtucket came in to the series dead last in the Northern Division and left town in the same position after splitting the four games. In the final game of the series, an eleven in the morning start, (11:05), the Lynx continued their tradition of letting the game get away from them early in morning games. It seems any of the versions of the Lynx over the past years have had trouble getting going until early afternoon, (around the fifth inning).

Pawtucket lefty sensation John Lester, (and cancer survivor), started and gave up the only hit, (first inning double by Thornton), Ottawa would manage on the day in a 4-0 victory. Lester was 7-3 with Boston last season and this was his sixth rehab start, his second in Triple A. Boston has him on a very strict pitch count, pulling him after forty-eight pitches. Little matter as the Lynx could manage two base runners against three Paw Sox relievers with Lynx starter Jason Anderson, (0-1), taking the loss. Lester professed to wanting to pitch deeper into the game but understood that the big league team was being cautious with him.

Games two and three were won by Ottawa as J.D. Durbin had the best start by a Lynx pitcher all season, going eight innings before giving up a lead off double in the ninth. Manager John Russell felt he was still strong but with a one run lead, none out and the tying run on second decided to go to the bullpen.

“If he had given up a single or even a walk I would have left him in there and hoped for another double play but with a runner on second I felt it was the right move. He’s a big strong kid who was still throwing mid 90’s into the ninth but I had confidence in the bullpen.”

Matt Smith pitched the ninth, getting his first save of the season. Ottawa got both their runs in the third and held on for 2-1 win in what was a very quiet and uneventful victory.

“It was just one of those games where nothing much really happened-but you’ll always take the win,” explained Russell.

Game three was won by the Lynx 5-4, a dramatic comeback and another heart in your throat victory, this time in extra innings. This turned out to be another important win for Ottawa as it’s vital to at least split a home four game series, especially against a team which is in last place. The comeback began with the Lynx backs against the wall in the ninth. Down 4-2 and with two outs. Gary Burnham singled and was replaced by pinch runner Carlos Leon who promptly advanced to second without drawing a throw. Brennan King drove him in with a single and Jason Jaramillo drove him in with a slow grounder which barely made it to third base, tying the game. Jaramillo, whose average in May has fallen into the .230 range, had been robbed in the third inning with a one out bases loaded vicious line drive, hit right at the Paw Sox first baseman for a double play- Ottawa being denied at least two runs and quite possible three, probably putting the game out of reach early on. Kane Davis kept the game tied in the tenth, striking out the only batter he faced with the bases loaded and getting the Lynx to the tenth inning. Major and Minor League veteran Lou Collier singled in Danny Sandoval from second with the winner with one out and runners on first and second. The key play in the inning was the sacrifice bunt by Chris Roberson, moving Sandoval into scoring position. Roberson up to that point had gone 0-5 but came through with the perfect bunt which also led to the Paw Sox decision to intentionally walk Joe Thurston, hoping then for the double play , but bringing Collier to the plate.

“I’d had a rough day at the plate and I wanted to do something to help the team offensively,” offered Roberson. “With the sun in the late innings it’s sometimes hard to see the ball but I was able to get the bunt down.”

The final game, 7-3 Pawtucket, really came down to one bad pitch and one bad hop, ( something which has been a problem lately on this normally smooth infield), as Pawtucket counted four runs in the first inning and three more in the seventh after Ottawa had pulled to within one run.

Roberson misplayed a lead off single into a triple, (single and two base error), followed by a single by Bobby Scales, (who finished with four hits), a double by Jeff Bailey and then a two run homer far over the left centre field wall by Brandon Moss on a pitch by Lynx starter Heath Totten, (1-2), which got far too much of the plate. In the seventh with one Paw Sox runner aboard after a single, Jacob Ellsbury hit a double play grounder which took a bad hop and bounced over the head of Lynx first baseman Joey Hammond resulting in a double. Pawtucket went on to score three runs as Ottawa were unable to rally a second time.

“A bad pitch and a bad bounce but you can’t make excuses,” said Russell. “We just didn’t hit when we needed to, couldn’t get much going all day.”

After a much needed off day Wednesday May 23rd, Ottawa, (21-21), began a four game series with the Charlotte Knights, (18-27), the beginning of an eight game road trip which will also take them to Durham. Ottawa took three of four from the Knights in mid April and needed to continue that success against last place Charlotte.

The Lynx knocked out fourteen hits, scored six runs in the third inning and held on for a 9-7 victory. Rick Bauer,(1-2), got his first win of the season and Joe Thurston and Gary Burnham each had three hits. Lynx starter J.A. Happ lasted only three innings and allowed four runs but the offense had no trouble with Charlotte pitching and scored three more runs in the eighth. Neither team managed much pitching until Brian Sanches pitched a perfect ninth, (two strikeouts), his eighth save, to end the game. Game two of this series goes tonight.

Lynx Notes: Heath Totten was returned to Reading, replaced by eight year veteran RHP Bubba Nelson. Ottawa sits in fourth place, four games back of Buffalo in the Northern division with a 22-21 record and a one game win streak. Gary Burnham leads the regulars with a .328 avg and leads in doubles with 14. Brennan King continues to lead the team in home runs with 2, (the Lynx team total standing at 6) and in RBI, (24). Matt Childers has four wins, Brian Sanches has eight saves and the ERA leader is John Ennis at 0.50. Although he has not had much success in his last couple of starts, J.A. Happ leads the staff with 50 strikeouts.