The Lynx limped into the three day All-Star break losing three of four to Scranton/Wilkes Barre in a repeat of their previous four game home stand against the Yankees. In what has become the norm for this team in the 2007 season, two games were blowouts, (one was an Ottawa win), and two were one run games. Game one was especially ugly as J.A. Happ’s return to the rotation was a disaster. Happ had been hit hard in his major league debut and his return to the Lynx rotation was even more unsuccessful. Happ, (1-3), threw fifty pitches and retired only two batters. The game got so out of hand that outfielder Jim Rushford pitched the eighth inning. Scranton scored seven runs in the first innings, one in the second and three in the third. The Lynx scored four in the fourth and one in the fifth but Scranton scored another five runs in their half of the fifth. Jason Anderson went four inning and gave up seven runs. Yankee starter Chase Wright, (6-3), gave up seven runs in five innings of work but which the huge early Scranton lead, he didn’t have to be very fine and could just put the ball over the plate. Gary Burnham went 4-4 with five RBI for the Lynx and Dusty Wathan went 3-4 driving in three. Yes it was one of those games for certain but as we’ve seen through much of the first half, one of those games is becoming the norm.

Games two and three of the series took place the next day as part of a double header. Ottawa again lost to Scranton in game one, this time by a score of 2-1 in eleven innings. Lynx starter Eude Brito, after a couple of poor starts, pitched a scoreless six innings, giving up only four hits and the Lynx lead 1-0 going into the bottom of the eighth inning. Reliever Clay Condrey blew the save allowing a run in the eighth but pitched very effectively, going four innings and giving up only the one run. But Yoel Hernandez, (1-1), couldn’t get an out in the eleventh, pitching to four batters, giving up two hits and walking two more, (although both were intentional). Scranton lead off the eleventh with a bunt single by Juan Francia who ended up on third due to an error on the throw by Hernandez. Two intentional walks later, Angel Chavez singled to win the game giving Ottawa their seventh loss in eight games.

The Lynx won game two of the doubleheader 11-6 as this time they scored early and often, leading 10-0 after three innings. Scranton came back with five of their own in the fourth but both teams would get only one more as Ottawa snapped their losing streak. Matt Childers finally returned to the team and lasted four innings giving up five runs but couldn’t get the win despite the 10-0 early lead. Reliever Geoff Geary, (1-1) pitched two innings giving up three hits and one run and Fabio Castro went the final three for his first save. This time the big bat belonged to Joe Thurston who drove in five runs, and Chris Roberson who went 3-5 and scored three times.

Sunday’s game resulted in another Scranton victory, this time winning 6-5. Charles Weatherby III pitched another solid game, pitching six innings and leaving with a 5-2 lead. But Kane Davis once again blew a save, his third of the season, giving up three runs, (all in the eighth), in two innings and the game was tied at five after nine. A throwing error by Lynx newcomer, shortstop Jesus Merchan allowed the winning run to score for Scranton in the twelfth. Justin Christian had walked with one out, (those walks will come back to haunt you), and stole second. After another walk, Kevin Reese hit a routine ground ball to Lynx second baseman Joe Thurston but Merchan’s relay to first got by first baseman Randy Ruiz, allowing the winning run to score. Landon Jacobsen, (1-1), pitching his first game in relief, was charged with the loss despite pitching 1.2 innings and striking out three batters and walking two. The Lynx hit three solo home runs, (Jaramillo, Ruiz and Merchan), but the number two, three and four hitters went a combined 1-15.

Ottawa began the second half of the 2007 Il season with a 5-4 win over Norfolk which featured clutch hitting, clutch pitching and a solid defensive effort. Matt Childers went 4.2 innings giving up three runs but pitched better than those numbers would lead you to believe. He cruised through the first four allowing only one hit until the fifth. In that inning the first four batters reached, (three singles and a walk, but a pick off throw at second by catcher Jason Jaramillo and a fielders choice almost allowed him to get out of the inning with his shutout intact. Tike Redman, however, singled to score two runs putting Norfolk in the lead 2-1, the Lynx still in the game at this point despite what had been a shaky inning so far. Geoff Geary came on and Eider Torres hit the very first pitch for a run scoring double, Tides 3-1. But Geary got the next batter and although Norfolk scored three, the results could have been worse especially given how the Lynx have been playing. Ottawa tied it up in the fifth scoring two runs as Chris Roberson walked and Joe Thurston tripled him home, scoring two pitches later on a wild pitch. Norfolk regained the lead in the seventh as Fabio Castro, (4-0), gave up a run as his control wasn’t there, walking the first two batters then allowing a sacrifice hit and a sacrifice fly. But Ottawa came back with a two out rally in their half of the inning. Brennan King and Gary Burnham had been a combined 0-6 up until this point but King singled with two out and Burnham drove the next pitch high and very deep over the right field fence, ( his sixth), giving the Lynx a the lead. Castro continued to have control problems and a one out walk prompted Russell to bring in Clay Condrey to try and hold the lead. It took only one pitch as Carlos Leon turned a sharp double play, ending the Norfolk threat in the eighth. Condrey got another double play from his shortstop to finish the game in the ninth and earn his first save of the season.

“The break allowed the team to catch their breath a little bit and come back fresh,” commented Russell. “Condrey got the job done for us tonight but we haven’t picked any one guy to be our closer. We’ll use whoever is fresh.”

Condrey added, “I was a bit nervous out there even after getting out of the eighth but the guys worked hard tonight and I wanted to get the job done. Whenever John needs me I’ll try and contribute.”

The rotation hasn’t been set yet but tonight Jacobsen is the scheduled starter followed by Happ tomorrow afternoon.

Lynx Notes: Ottawa finished the first half in last place, 14.0 games back and with a record of 35-52. After then three day All-Star break, The Norfolk Tides visit Ottawa for a four game series. The Tides are currently in third place in the Southern Division, 8.5 games back of Richmond.

Danny Sandoval was placed on the temporary inactive list July 7 but was reinstated July 12^th. Charles Weatherby III and Jesus Merchan were assigned to Double A Reading July 12th.