LYNX: NELSON WON'T LET WATSON STEAL SHOW

One could say Lynx right-hander Bubba Nelson was determined not to let Columbus Clippers leadoff man Brandon Watson steal the show, so to speak, in tonight's 4-1 victory (boxscore, play-by-play).

Right after Watson got his hit in the top of the sixth to run his streak to 41 games, Nelson (2-1) picked him off to end the inning. (That's where the play on steal comes in.) One moment, Watson was no doubt getting a nice hand from the opposing fans for coming within one game of tying the International League record for longest hit streak, the next he was waiting for a teammate to bring him his cap and glove as the Lynx ran off the field. Once again, we see baseball reveal some deeper truth about life its ownself.

It looked like another night where the Lynx (28-35) would fail to get an offensive breakthrough. John Russell let Nelson bat with bases loaded and one out with the game tied 1-1 in the seventh, which was a logical move since he was only at 84 pitches, but Clippers reliever Emiliano Fruto (3-2) got him to hit into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

It worked out, though. Nelson put up another scoreless frame in the eighth. Chris Roberson's leadoff double kick-started the winning three-run rally in the home half with Gary Burnham, Jim Rushford and Danny Sandoval collecting the RBIs. Brian Sanches earned his 10th save.

Lynx lefty Eude Brito (1-3, 7.80, 1.80 WHIP) is slated to take a shot at stopping Watson in Saturday's game (1:05, Rogers 22), while one-time Houston Astro Tim Redding (8-5, 5.74, 1.62 WHIP) goes for Columbus. It would be novel to see someone break such a long-standing record in Ottawa.

There is some irony to Watson closing in on the record. It takes some special combination of ability and good fortune to hit in 41 straight games, but the qualities that increase his chances of getting a hit every game probably work against his employability at the major-league level. He doesn't have much power (just eight extra-base hits and no homers in about 220 at-bats), so teams don't pitch around him and he's not one to take a base on balls (just 10 walks). So here's a guy who gets 4-5 times at bat per night in the leadoff spot, almost always put the ball in play, leads off, and as a lefty hitter with speed, can beat out infield hits. Watson has a lot going for him, but 41 straight games is 41 straight games.