Ottawa played the remaining three games of their four game series with Columbus and took on the Toledo Mud Hens, again a four game series, to finish off week eleven of the 2007 season. The Lynx took two of the remaining three games with Columbus and began to show definite signs of life, definite signs that the team was beginning to come around and start running on all cylinders. This was especially true of the offense who, up until now, were not showing much power or clutch hitting. It was also a week of several roster moves for Ottawa as the team continued to get players healthy and make adjustments, especially to the pitching staff which had been struggling with the many injuries and poor performances.

After dropping the first game of the series to the Clippers, (their fourth loss in a row), Ottawa defeated Columbus 4-1 behind a very strong performance by starter Bubba Nelson, (2-1 3.60), who pitched eight innings giving up only four hits and one run. Brian Sanches earned his tenth save of the season and Pedro Swann hit his second home run. Ottawa played one of their most solid games of the season and finally came through with some clutch hitting, scoring three in the eighth inning breaking a 1-1 tie as Burnham singled, Rushford doubled and Sandoval drove in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly. Columbus took a 1-0 lead in the third but Swann tied it up in the fifth. Chris Roberson doubled to lead off the eighth and was moved to third on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Joe Thurston. The Lynx small paid off as Ottawa went on to score three, getting Thurston sacrifice hit and a Sandoval sacrifice fly. Sanches gave up a hit in the ninth but struck out two Clippers and got a fly out to left to end the game.

Ottawa starter Eude Brito, lasted only 3.1 innings as the troubles for Ottawa starters returned. Although he didn’t get the loss, he gave up four runs on five hits and three walks, fighting his control in both the first and third innings. The Lynx lost this one 5-4 as Rick Bauer, (1-4) gave up the winning run in the seventh. Ottawa fought back to tie the game 4-4 in the sixth, scoring two runs in the third on a two out home run by Chris Roberson and two more in sixth on a Thurston sacrifice fly and a Burnham single but could no more against three Columbus relievers.

The final game of this four game set resulted in an extra innings win for the Lynx 9-8 in a wild come from behind victory, a game which also saw Columbus outfielder Brandon Watson set a new IL consecutive game hit streak, (43 games), with a single in the sixth inning. The Lynx jumped out to a big lead as the offense got going early for a change, scoring in each of the first three, knocking out seven hits and building a 6-0 lead. Ottawa soon gave the lead back however as Lynx starter J.D. Durbin couldn’t get out of the sixth inning, the big blow coming on a Michael Restovich three run home run. John Ennis replaced Durbin with two out in the sixth and kept the game tied but in the eighth Durbin allowed two runs, giving Columbus an 8-6. But the Lynx came back in dramatic fashion to tie the game at 8-8. Gary Burnham hit his second home run of the season, this one on a fastball from Columbus closer Gary Booker with one out and Joe Thurston who had singled, (his fifth hit of the game), scored ahead of him. With one out in the eleventh, Ottawa followed with three straight singles, the third hit by Jim Rushford, scoring Jason Jaramillo and winning the game with Rick Bauer, (2-4), picking up his second win of the season with a scoreless top of the eleventh. With the four game split, the Lynx now had a record of 29-36.

The Toledo Mud Hens, one of the leagues best road teams this year and IL champions for the past two seasons, were the next opponent to visit Lynx Stadium. Toledo came into this series having won ten of their last fourteen road games and eight games over the .500 mark. Toledo left Ottawa with three more road wins as the Lynx narrowly avoided being swept in the four game series. Only another dramatic late inning home run by Gary Burnham saved the Lynx from a disastrous series against the Mud Hens in the final game. Toledo won the first game 11-8, the second 2-1 and the third 8-2.

Game one was another ineffective start from Zach Segovia, (1-9), as his struggles with control were once agin evident. Constantly falling behind in the count, when Segovia did manage to find the plate, his pitches were fat and the Toledo hitters didn’t miss. Mike Hessman drilled his 20^th of the season in the first, giving Toledo a 4-0 lead.

“Segovia is still struggling with location,” explained manager John Russell. “His stuff has been good but when he’s getting his pitches over, they get too much of the plate.”

The Lynx cut the lead in half in the second but Toledo again knocked Segovia around in the third, scoring three more times. Brennan King hit a solo home run in that inning, his first at bat since being activated from the DL. Both teams traded runs as neither pitching staff had much success with Toledo getting two runs in their half of the ninth to put the game out of reach. Ottawa did manage thirteen hits with the top three in the order going 7-13.

The second game was a tough pitching dual which was decided on a disputed bases loaded walk in the twelfth inning. After pitching a three up-three down eleventh, John Ennis got himself into trouble with two consecutive one out walks. A ground out put runners on second and third and pinch hitter Chris Shelton was walked intentionally. With the count 3-2, Ennis threw ball four, allowing the go ahead run to cross the plate. He retired the next batter but continued to dispute the call made on the last batter resulting in his being ejected from the game. The Lynx were retired in order in their half of the twelfth.

Chris Roberson summed up the mood in the clubhouse after the game. “You don’t mind losing so much but there were a few calls I thought they got wrong tonight,” “Nothing you can do I but I hate to lose that way.”

Game three was another blowout, this time Toledo winning 8-2. Lynx starter Bubba Nelson, (2-2), went only five innings and gave up six runs on eight hits. Toledo got fourteen hits and lead 6-1 after two innings. Timo Perez knocked in three of the first six runs and Toledo starter Jordan Tata, (1-1), held the Lynx to two runs over seven innings. Brennan King continued his hot hitting with his second home run in three games but the Lynx could do little else.

Ottawa avoided the sweep in dramatic fashion putting a bit of a positive spin on what could have been a disastrous four game sweep at home. Eude Brito started for Ottawa and while more effective than his last start, only lasted four innings and gave up three runs. But he did keep the team in the game and in the eighth Ottawa finally broke through. Down 3-1 and with two out in the eight, Gary Burnham for the second time this week, delivered a game tying home run, sending this one into extra innings. Brennan King doubled off the left centre field wall with two out and Russell sent Roberson into the game as a pinch runner. After an intentional walk to Burnham, Jim Rushford stroked a two strike bloop single just over the head of the Toledo short stop and the speedy Roberson slid in just ahead of the throw, winning the game for Ottawa..

“We really needed that win,” said Russell after the game. ” It’s going to make the trip to Columbus a lot more relaxed. We’ve made a few roster moves this week and once the guys get settled in I think this team will start to win their share of ball games. This was a nice win.”

Rushford added,”We’ve had some balls caught lately and a few things go against us but this team never quits. It was nice that we got as break for a change.”

Ottawa, (30-39), heads out on the road for an eight game trip against Columbus and Toledo. The Lynx are currently in last place in the Northern Division, 8.5 games back of Buffalo.

Lynx Notes: Lynx closer and team save leader Brian Sanches was recalled by the Phillies June 17^th and the following day Lynx third baseman Brennan King was activated from the DL where he had been since May 29 with a broken thumb. That same day, reliever Clay Condrey was outrighted to the Lynx from Philadelphia after having been recalled to Philadelphia May 5. June 19^th saw the release of Lynx reliever/starter Rick Bauer, the transfer of starter Zach Segovia to Reading, the activation from the DL of reliever Kane Davis and pitcher Heath Totten rejoining the team from Reading. Lefty Fabio Castro also rejoined the team from Reading June 19.