As there are eleven games in week sixteen, I have split up the report this week. Part two tomorrow.

Six games-four days and two double headers in three days isn’t something which is likely to help a team struggling as badly as the Ottawa Lynx are and have been since May. It didn’t. To further complicate things for the Lynx and play potential havoc with the starters, Ottawa was hit with heavy rains all day Friday which let up only a couple of hours before the scheduled start. Due to the double headers, there was a real danger that the pitching staff would further collapse as John Russell might have little option but to either leave his starters in too long to save the bullpen, or be forced to overuse the bullpen due to non quality starts.

Ottawa lost both ends of the two double headers and picked up wins in the two single games. Next, the Lynx went to Richmond and continued to lose and lose badly. The Lynx looked lost, bewildered and were unable to finish off Rochester when they had the opportunity. On the home stand, Ottawa could have dropped all six games or won five of them. Despite dropping four of six on the home stand, there was a bit of a silver lining in all but one of the games. The Lynx pitching was pretty darn solid. The starters went deep into ball games and the bullpen was doing the job. The offense let the team down more often than not despite the fact that the two games Ottawa won were last at bat victories.

Bubba Nelson got the call Friday and hoped to rebound from a tough start against Norfolk last week in which he gave up six runs in 6.1 innings. This time Nelson, (3-6), gave the team six solid innings giving up three runs, (only two earned), and Geoff Geary got his first hold of the season, pitching a perfect seventh inning, (two strikeouts). Brian Sanches pitched the eighth and ninth, ( two scoreless innings), for his eleventh save as the Lynx won 6-3.

The Lynx scored one in the second inning but Rochester counted three in the top of the third as Nelson, who had been cruising along, either couldn’t find the plate or found too much of it. That was all Rochester would get though as Nelson made some adjustments and shut them down for the next three innings.

“I wasn’t being aggressive enough in the third and stopped trusting my stuff,” explained Nelson. “Jason, (Lynx catcher), noticed I was nibbling instead of throwing and I was able to get back on track. Give him the credit.”

Jim Rushford threw out Jose Morales at the plate for the second out of the third inning and Jaramillo made a great tag on the runner for the second out of the inning, keeping the game from getting completely away from Ottawa.

Ottawa got the lead back for good, scoring four runs in the fifth. Joe Thurston walked to lead off the inning and Jaramillo followed with a triple. Gary Burnham was hit by a pitch and one out later, Dusty Wathan hit a routine fly ball which was dropped by the Red Wing left fielder, Jaramillo and Burnham both scoring. Randy Ruiz then doubled, scoring Wathan from first for the fourth run of the inning and chasing Rochester starter David Gassner, ( 3-11). Ottawa had their second win in a row and perhaps were finally getting something going this season. Thurston, Jaramillo, Ruiz and Rushford each went 2-4 as Ottawa collected eleven total and for a change, took advantage of their opportunities to finish another team off.

“Nelson pitched a solid game for us tonight,” offered Russell. “He had a rough stretch in the third but got back on track and allowed us to come back.”

The next night, (twi night double header), not only saw the Lynx two game winning streak come to an end, but Ottawa lost both ends as the offense reverted back to poor clutch hitting and an inability to take advantage of opportunities. Eude Brito, (1-6), pitched well enough, (5.1, three runs but only two earned), but Ottawa could manage only four hits and two runs, both scoring in the third inning on a two out Joe Thurston triple. Ottawa lost 3-2. Reliever Kane Davis pitched the final 1.2 innings and struck out four of the five batters he faced.

Rochester got the tying and go ahead runs in the fifth and a throwing error by Lynx first baseman Gary Burnham proved costly. Red Wing right fielder Trent Oeltjen had doubled past Burnham who was playing in to prevent a possible bunt to lead off the inning. Oeltjen was sacrificed to third and Alexi Casilla worked a walk. Brito threw quickly over to first and had Casilla picked off but Burnham’s throw to second was wild, allowing the runner on third to score and Casilla to advance to third. Matt Tolbert next hit a sinking line drive which Lynx left fielder Jim Rushford turned into an out with a great sliding catch but despite a great effort on the throw practically from his knees, Rochester were able to score the go ahead run.

Game two of the doubleheader saw Ottawa again manage only four hits, all singles, and again, suffer a loss, this time 4-1. Once again the Lynx got a solid effort from a starting pitcher, this time Fabio Castro, (4-2), who although he pitched only three innings, he allowed two runs, (both unearned), and struck out four. Lynx errors allowed all four Rochester runs in this game, a Burnham error in the fourth inning and a sacrifice fly allowed two runs and a throwing error by short stop Carlos Leon attempting to complete a double play to first eventually resulted in two more runs in the seventh. It didn’t help much that reliever Yoel Hernandez gave up three hits in the seventh but the double play would have left Rochester with two outs and no one on base in that inning. The go ahead run scored on a weak ground out to second.

Ottawa won the next night in extra innings and played a solid and aggressive game, using speed and solid fundamentals for a 3-2 victory. Matt Childers pitched another solid outing, allowing only three hits and one run in six innings. Geoff Geary couldn’t get the job done this time, allowing the Red Wings to take a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Geary gave up three hits in the seventh but the Lynx bailed him out, tying the game in their half. The speed of Chris Roberson and perfect small ball execution brought Ottawa into a tie and almost took the lead in the seventh. Dusty Wathan singled to open the inning and Danny Sandoval moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Pedro Swann hit a sharp single to left moving Wathan to third with the tying run and one out. Roberson ground out to second but beat the relay throw to first which allowed Wathan to score. Roberson then stole second and moved to third on the bad throw by catcher Jose Morales. Joe Thurston popped out, stranding Roberson. There was no further scoring, sending the game into extra innings. Again the speed of Roberson made the difference in the game. He opened the tenth with a drag bunt single and after Thurston sacrificed him to second and Jaramillo popped out, Roberson stole third. Burnham was then intentionally walked and Brennan King blooped a single just over the head of the Rochester short stop, not hit far but enough that Roberson beat the throw to the plate sending the crowd home happy on this, a day celebrating the Montreal Expos, (had to mention that being still an Expo fan for life!).

“We got into some good situations and were able to execute,” said John Russell. “The team played a good fundamental game today which we needed with all those singles. It was a tight, tough game and we made the plays today.

Brian Sanches, (2-2), pitched the final two innings, picking up the win.

“We feel the bullpen is good enough if the starters give us a chance to win,” said Russell. “Childers made another solid start today for us giving us a chance to come back.”

It was another double header Monday and another double header sweep by Rochester. They won both ends by scores of 9-3 and 4-3. Ottawa played sloppy defence, had no pitching and didn’t hit.

“We simply got beat in the first game and the second game was ours but the bullpen which has been strong lately couldn’t get the job done,” commented Russell.

Game one was close, (4-2 Rochester), until the fifth when the Red Wings scored four times. Lynx starter Landon Jacobsen had nothing for the second straight start, giving up ten hits and eight runs in five innings. Brian Duensing,(7-2), threw a complete game for Rochester, scattering seven hits, (six singles), as Ottawa never seriously threatened in this game.

Ottawa lead 3-0 after three innings in the second game but Anderson Garcia, (BS 4), and Kane Davis, (1-2) couldn’t hold the lead. Lynx starter Joe Ennis pitched a strong five innings giving up only one run but three Rochester relievers shut down Ottawa over the final six innings. The Lynx never challenged after the third and went down meekly to their second defeat of the day.

“The guys come out, do the work but just can’t get over the hump,” lamented Russell. “In these types of games we can’t make any mistakes.”

Ottawa headed out on the road for five games, (four days), in Richmond and four in Norfolk.