LYNX: VISITING OUTFIELDER GOING STREAKING

Columbus Clippers outfielder Brandon Watson ran his hit streak to 40 games in a 3-2 win (boxscore, play-by-play) over the Lynx when he doubled to lead off the game. He's two games shy of the 95-year-old International League record set way back in 1912 by Jack Lelivelt. If he keeps it going, he could break the nearly century-old record in the series finale Sunday afternoon.

Lynx lefty J.A. Happ (four strikeouts, one earnie over three) pitched out of of a first-and-third, none-out jam in that first inning, only to have his mates leave the bases loaded in the home half. That might have set the tone for a frustrating night for the local nine, since the Lynx (27-35) ended up stranding 13 men on the night and gift-wrapped the Clippers' first two runs when shortstop Danny Sandoval dropped a throw on a

Happ did only go three innings, but he had four strikeouts, which suggests he had some good stuff in his first start since May 29. Bubba Nelson (1-1, 4.76, 1.35 WHIP) takes on Columbus Jim Magrane  (1-5, 4.85 between two levels this season).

(Geek that I am, Levivelt's name rang a bell -- he was the manager of the 1934 Los Angeles Angels, whom minorleaguebaseball.com recently selected as the greatest minor-league team ever. They won 137 games (out of 187) during the regular season and so thoroughly dominated the Pacific Coast League that in lieu of a championship series, the PCL had the Angels play a league all-star team, whom they beat in six games. How about that?)