LYNX: THE STADIUM'S A GRIND HOUSE

Today's 4-2 win (box, play-by-play) over Indianapolis really illustrates how well the Lynx are grinding out how runs to win games while their power hitting remains in absentia.

How often is a team's RBI leader a leadoff man, let alone one hitting below .200 with no home runs? Believe it or not, Chris Roberson has a team-high 14 RBI even as he's hitting .186/.263/.243. It's not you, Chris, it's the guys coming up ahead of you: Roberson's two-run single that drove in the game's first runs today came after the 7-8-9 hitters set the table with back-to-back hits by Ron Calloway and Danny Sandoval, followed by a sac bunt from pitcher Matt Childers. Later on, Ottawa's third and fourth runs came after the first batter of the inning reached base without getting a hit.

Meantime, Childers had his groove going: The lefty scattered five hits across seven shutout innings and Kane Davis got a double-play grounder after Indianapolis had closed within 3-2 against him in the eighth.

The Lynx (10-8) really are living up to their advance notices about having a crew of good Triple-A hitters who get on base, play the game right and don't waste at-bats (the cruel flip side might be that most have failed to stick in the majors since they lack power or another prized tool like speed or the ability to play several fielding positions, but that doesn't mean they're not quality ballplayers). Ottawa's hit just one home run (every other team in Triple A has at least eight), but the Dead Ball Era lineup has scored 4.89 runs per game, near the top of the 14-team International League.

Ottawa is getting on base (.353 on-base percentage prior to today's game) and putting the ball in play (they're the only IL team with fewer than 100 strikeouts. Gary Burnham, Jim Rushford and catcher Jason Jaramillo each have on-base percentages above .400. It's a safe bet that no one will come close to the team-high 20 homers Andy Tracy hit last summer (Luis Terrero, now with Charlotte, hit 16 in just more than 300 at-bats), but the way this team moves runners along is more appealing than waiting for someone to hit a ball into the Canadian Tire parking lot, especially when they pitch well and play solid defence. And this is coming from a Moneyball devotee.

Incidentally, if the Lynx don't homer in Monday's series finale vs. Indy, they'll have gone the entire first month without hitting a home run at home.

Here's a John Axford update: He made his debut with the Charleston RiverDogs in the high Class-A Sally League last night, throwing 2 2/3 innings of relief in a 7-4 home win over Columbus.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.