HEATH WAS ON FOR LYNX

It's gratifying to a Lynx follower to see that Joe Thurston got untracked in today's 4-1 win (boxscore, play-by-play) over the Bisons.

Thurston, whose OPS had shrunk to a piddly .525 during a 1-for-24 slide over the past week, factored in both Ottawa's scoring innings, drawing a full-count walk during a three-run first inning. In the second, he hit a two-out, two-strike RBI single off losing pitcher Aaron Laffey to put the good guys ahead 4-0 after two. Embiggened by the early offence, Heath Totten threw a perfectly cromulent seven innings of five-hit, one-run ball for his first Triple-A win of '07, with Kane Davis striking out the side in both the eighth and ninth innings for the save. All in all, a good win to snap a five-game losing skid.

Not sure why Buffalo started Double-A callup Laffey — would you believe another team threw a left-hander vs. Ottawa? — instead of announced starter Adam Miller. Sure the Lynx won, but It scuttled any chance to do some wordplay on the latter's namesake with the other Buffalo team.

The Lynx (18-19) are throwing lefty J.A. Happ (1-2, 3.65, 1.51 WHIP) vs. Buffalo's Jeff Harris (2-2, 5.40, 1.42 WHIP) tomorrow at 6:05 -- the season premiere on Rogers 22, by the way.