Game #46: 3-2 Zs, Five Straight Wins

Mr.Z has been partying hard all night after returning from Zephyr Field, where not only was it Fireworks Night (doubling with the ever-ambiguous "80s Night"), the Zephyrs won their 5th straight game. Don't look now, but the Zs have vaulted Round Rock in the standings and sit a half-game back of Albuquerque, just 3.5 behind the division leaders, Oklahoma City.

Last night was the first of four with the Texas Rangers affiliate OKC, and it ended dramatically. The Zs offense looked like a team that had played a 12-inning game in Portland, OR the night before: sluggish. They pushed a runner to second base in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings and failed to capitalize. The OC's Omar Beltre fanned 5 and the Zephs seemed to struggle with his three-quarter arm angle. But Brian Lawrence was characteristically bend-but-don't-break, surviving six innings while surrendering two solo HRs, by Brandon Boggs and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, whose bat looks clearly major-league ready. (The throwing thing... that's a different story.)

Truth be told, the Zs should have taken control in the 8th. After loading the bases with no outs, Luna singled in two runs before Murphy, Mitchell, and Davis each whiffed feebly. But Adelberto Mendez was huge, throwing up donuts in the 8th, 9th, and 10th, and Murphy redeemed a couple failed at bats with men in scoring position earlier in the game by lacing an opposite-field liner to right that just cleared the fence. With respect to clutch bullpen hurling by Mendez, the Huge Z for Game #46 is D-Murphs.

For the record, Saltalamacchia had no Mackey Sasserish throws back to the pitcher.