41 and counting for Clippers' Watson

Brandon Watson extended his Minor League season-best hitting streak to 41 games Friday, but Bubba Nelson tossed eight strong innings as the Ottawa Lynx defeated the Columbus Clippers, 4-1.

Watson flied out in the first inning and was retired on a bunt in the third before lining a base hit to center field in the sixth. He singled again in the ninth to cap his third straight multi-hit game.

The 25-year-old center fielder is batting .361 (60-for-166) with five doubles, a triple, 18 runs scored and 10 RBIs since going hitless against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 30.

His streak is one game from tying the International League record, set by Jack Lelivelt in 1912 with Rochester. Herbert Chapman also hit in 42 consecutive games with Gadsden in 1950.

Streaking in the Minors
The longest hitting streaks in Minor League history:
# 69 61 55 50 49 49 46 43 43 43 42 42 41 40 38 38 38 37 37	Player Joe Wilhoit Joe DiMaggio Roman Mejias Otto Pahlman Jack Ness Harry Chozen Johnny Bates Eddie Marshall Howie Bedell Orlando Moreno Jack Lelivelt Herbert Chapman Brandon Watson Frosty Kennedy Mitch Hilligoss Hubert Mason Paul Owens Joey Cora Bobby Trevino	Team (League) Wichita (WL) San Francisco (PCL) Waco (BSL) Danville (III) Oakland (PCL) Mobile (SA) Nashville (SA) Milwaukee (AA) Louisville (AA) Big Spring (LHL) Rochester (IL) Gadsden (SEL) Columbus (IL) Plainview (WT-NM) Charleston (SAL) Binghamton (EL) Orleans (PONY) Las Vegas (PCL) El Paso (TL)	Year 1919 1933 1954 1922 1915 1945 1925 1935 1961 1947 1912 1950 2007 1953 2007 1925 1951 1989 1969

Nelson (2-1) gave up one run on four hits with a strikeout in his longest outing of the season. The 25-year-old right-hander started the year with Double-A Reading, where he was 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 14 games.

Brian Sanches tossed a scoreless ninth to notch his 10th save and end Ottawa's four-game slide.

The Lynx (28-35) trailed, 1-0, when Pedro Swann slammed a solo homer, his second, with one out in the fifth. Gary Burnham sparked a three-run eighth with an RBI single. Jim Rushford followed with a run-scoring double and Danny Sandoval capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Larry Broadway led off the third with his fifth homer to give the Clippers (30-37) a 1-0 lead.

Reliever Emiliano Fruto (3-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits and three walks over four frames. Jason Bergmann yielded two hits and struck out one over three scoreless innings in a rehab start.

The Clippers turned three double plays.