June 15, 2008
Missing Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx have been struggling.  With only two wins a week ago, the Lynx limped through this week with 6 straight losses.  Ottawa only managed 12 runs for the week, getting 6 of them in an 8-6 loss to the Clydesdales on Thursday.  The losing streak has dropped them 9 games back of the division leading Bolsheviks, dropping 5 games in the standings.

June 15, 2008
Ten For Thome
Jim Thome had the game of his life this week.  On Sunday, Thome single handedly dismantled the Burlington Brewers' pitching staff.  He started off with a simple RBI double in the first inning off of Kevin Millwood.  In the third, Thome launched a grand slam off Millwood on the first pitch he saw.  In the fourth, he watched the first four pitches from Tom Gordon go by for a 2-2 count.  After two foul balls, Gordon snuck a curveball past him for a called third strike, Thome's only out of the game.  In the sixth, Thome hit a full count fastball off of Zach Miner for his second grand slam of the game.  In the eight, Thome added a solo shot off of Chad Bradford for a 4-5 day with 3 homers and a whopping 10 RBIs in the Wildcats 15-6 win.

June 12, 2008
Six Strings Hit Sour Note
The St. Charles Six Strings escaped the week only falling back two games after a severe scoring drought.  The Perry Bombers' Erik Bedard threw a three-hit, complete game shutout at them on Tuesday.  On Friday, Kyle Kendrick and the New Jersey Bosses threw another complete game shutout at the Strings.  St. Charles did get revenge on the Bombers on Wednesday and Thursday.  On Wednesday, ther Strings scored two thirds of their runs for the week in a 14-5 trouncing of the Bombers.  Thursday, they threw their own shutout at the Bombers as Wandy Rodriguez went the distance for St. Charles.

June 12, 2008
Complete Game Shutouts The Norm For The Week
It was a week of dominant pitching performances.  Tuesday, Aaron Harang of the Beaches and Steve Trachsel of the Monogonhelas dueled for 8 innings, only giving up 8 hits between them as Harang got the 2-1 win.  Wednesday, AJ Burnett of the Blue Wave blanked the Clydesdales on a complete game 4-hitter and Tim Hudson of the Boomerangs threw 7 and two thirds scoreless innings in a shutout of the Killer Nutz.  On Friday, the Clydesdales' john Maine threw a complete game, 5-hit shutout for a 1-0 win against the Bambinos, the Bolsheviks got blanked on a three hitter by Curt Shilloing and the Monongahelas, and Brad Penny of the Hilliard Jackets threw a 1-hitter at the Beaches.

June 9, 2008
Wildcats Unhittable on Mound
The Widdifield Wildcats gave an impressive performance on the mound this week.  As a team, they had an ERA of 1.83.  Jon Garland led the way with 2 wins and a complete game.  The Wildcats only needed 9 innings of relief work for the 6 games and finished the week 5-1 and have caught Milan for 2nd place in the Basie East Division, 6 and a half games behind Fort Lauderdale.

June 9, 2008
Extended Vacation In Italy For Bosses
The New Jersey Bosses just don't want to leave Italy.  The Bosses and Milan are two games in to a three game set and 32 innings have already been played.  In the first game, Milan outlasted New Jersey 3-2 in 18 innings.  There were a combined 28 hits, 11 walks, and 34 runners left on base.  The two teams also combined for 34 strikeouts.  In the second game, Milan again won, 6-5 in 14 innings, as the two teams combined for another 28 hits, 10 walks, 25 runners left on base, and 26 strikeouts.  The last game of the series will start the next cycle.

June 6, 2008
Beaches, Bolsheviks Lead Basie League
The Fort Lauderdale Beaches and the Brookfield Bolsheviks lead their respective divisions one fourth of the way through the season with identical 27-15 records.  The Beaches have surged to a  7 game lead over Milan with Widdifield and New Jersey just one more game back of the Rossoneri.  North Bay trails the field in the Eastern Division, 12 games back.  In the Western Division, Brookfield has a slim 2 and a half game lead over the Killer Nuts and the Lynx.  The Perry Bombers are a distant 11 and a half games back and the Clydesdales are pre-registering fans for their pony rides with the worst record in the league, 13 and a half games back.

June 6, 2008
Brewers, Bambinos Lead Ellington League
The Bartlett Bambinos have the best record in the Ellington League at 26-16.  The Burlington Brewers of the Eastern Division have the next best record in the lead at 25-17.  The Brewers are nearing a comfortable lead, leading Shadyside by 4 games.  The rest of the field is tightly bunched with Bradenton 5 games back, San Juan 7 back, and Montreal 8 back.  Bartlett has their hands full in the tightest race of the league.  St. Charles is a game and a half back, Hilliard is 2 and a half back, the homer-happy Detroit Demons are 4 and a half back and Kenosha is 7 and a half back.


June 2, 2008
Bonds, Howard Show Off Demon Bats
The Detroit Demons went 4-3 for the week, thanks mostly to the bats of Barry Bonds and Ryan Howard.  Bonds only had 6 hits to go with 6 walks for the week, but 4 of those hits were dingers.  He scored 8 runs and drove in 10.  Howard was even better.  He had 3 doubles and 5 taters out of his 10 hits.  Howard also scored 9 runs and drove in another 10.  The two sluggers accounted for nearly half of the Demons offense for the week.

June 2, 2008
Blue Wave Bats Absent for Lackey
The San Juan Blue Wave got two great performances out of John Lackey this week.  In the beginning of the week, Lackey went 6 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out 7.  At least the Waves got a win that night, beating  Bradenton 5-2 in 12 innings.  At the end of the week, Lackey was even more spectacular.  He went 7 shutout innings, allowing only 5 hits and striking out 9.  Dan Haren and Chad Bradford combined for a 1-hitter, though, as Burlington won 1-0.