Friday, May 30, 2008

Aliens among us

A man in Denver says he has proof of aliens among us.

According to a report from Denver TV station KMGH, Jeff Peckman obtained the video from Stan Romanek, who took the video 5 years ago. Peckman calls it "irrefutable evidence" of alien visitation:
The grainy, black and white video he showed was shot by Stan Romanek in Nebraska in July 2003. Romanek said in a film clip that he thought there might have been a peeping tom peering through his window, spying on his two teenage daughters, so he grabbed a video camera and started recording.

The bald, whitish "being" with an elliptical head and big black eyes is seen in the video peering just over a windowsill, blinking, looking around and then going down, out of view. The creature raised its head several times but no other parts of its body is seen.

Now, here's the catch: They won't allow the video to be shown. The Denver Post says they saw the video, that it's 3 minutes long, and shows a head popping up every now and then.

Still image of alien
Image: Fairplay Productions

Sounds suspicious to me.

Not the alien. The whole idea that there's a video of an alien.

Then, again, maybe it is for real.

I've seen an alien myself. Many people have. In fact, this alien has been spotted in all 57 states:
Alien

And, like other aliens, those that believe in this one ... are nuts.

Catfish losing streak at 8

Hard times have indeed fallen on the Columbus Catfish.

The Greenville Drive (Red Sox) used the middle innings to erase a Catfish lead and go on to send them to their 8th straight loss, 6-3 Friday night.

Out with the old, in with the new ... TV

Got the new TV last night. Not a huge TV, by any means. But a larger, clearer picture, to be sure.

Here's the old one:
Old TV

Here's the new one:
Old TV

Yes, poorly lit room. Both pictures were taken with my cell phone. The first picture was taken with sunlight coming in from the right. The second picture was taken with lamplight coming from the left. But the size and clarity of the TVs are evident, from the distance, perspective, and same TiVo screen on each set.

Then, I sat down and put a Star Trek movie in. Is nice!

Now, to convince myself that I need to upgrade to digital cable. And HD.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

That voodoo that you do so well

Harvey KormanHarvey Korman has died.

He was funny.

Really really funny.

I enjoyed him when I first saw him on the Carol Burnett Show, way back when. Everybody remembers the scenes with him and Tim Conway. And, yes, those were great. But Harvey Korman was funny in whatever he did.

Blazing Saddles. That's a classic film. And I can't imagine what the movie would have been with someone else in that role. I'm sure it would have been a great, funny movie anyway. But Harvey Korman's performance in it helped make it the classic it is today. And, he was great in other Mel Brooks films.

And a few years ago, The Wife and I had a chance to see Tim Conway and Harvey Korman live in Las Vegas.

They were hilarious. And I'd love to have seen them again.

But I won't.

I can't.

No one can.

Harvey Korman has died.

Korman died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He had undergone several major operations.

"He was a brilliant comedian and a brilliant father," daughter Kate Korman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He had a very good sense of humor in real life. "


The world is not a funny as it used to be.

Catfish fall in extra innings, eliminated

The Columbus Catfish eliminated from a first-half playoff berth. Tonight, they dropped a 7-5 decision in 10 innings to the Greenville Drive (Red Sox), as their slide continued.

If we'd have known that's what it took, we'd have elected John McCain years ago

Susan Sarandon wants Barack Obama to be President.

That doesn't surprise me. She's nuts. And that's pretty much the only qualification required for supporting Barack Obama.

But I missed a report last week from The Telegraph. According to the report, Sarandon is looking at a move if Sen. John McCain wins the presidency:
"If McCain gets in, it's going to be very, very dangerous," she says.

"It's a critical time, but I have faith in the American people. If they prove me wrong, I'll be checking out a move to Italy. Maybe Canada, I don't know.

Well, heck.

That's one of the best reasons I've seen to vote for John McCain.

Forget that he's qualified -- as opposed to Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-IL-AR-DC-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL), who have accomplished as much in their Senate terms as I have. McCain is clearly the best candidate to be President.

Unloading Susan Sarandon on Italy or Canada? That's just a bonus.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

HDTV

We're getting a new TV.

The old TV is ... well ... old.

Oh, it still works. But it's old. And it's a 26'' TV.

So, we're getting a new one.

We've actually been looking for some time, trying to decide just what we want.

Sony HD TVWe settled on a Sony KDL-40V4100. That's a 40'' ... no, not a really big TV, but a good big larger than what we have today.

And, no, it's not the best TV out there. But Sony makes good stuff. And, we found a pretty good deal on it. So, that's what we've settled on.

And, we're picking it up Thursday. It'll interfere with my going to the baseball game; such is the price of technocracy.

Now that we're getting a new HDTV, we need to decide if we want to watch HD TV.

You see, we have basic cable. Runs about $43 a month. We get, oh, I count 68 channels. But it also includes a lot of channels I don't watch: QVC, Outdoor, Versus, Golf Channel, Lifetime, GAC, CMT, Food Network, E!, HGTV, MTV, BET, VH1, HSN, and others.

And they're all standard definition TV channels.

So, I went to the cable company's Website and checked on what's involved with their HD TV channels. They didn't have a whole lot of information. No pricing, no details, no much of anything.

So, I went by the cable company and asked questions. They acted like they had never been asked any questions.

But, to her credit, the young lady I spoke with did try to find out the answers to my questions.

So, what I found out is that in order to get their HD channels, I got to have their digital package. Which would up the monthly rate from $43 a month to $66 a month.

Then, TiVo complicates things.

We've had TiVo for a couple of years now. And we like it. So, I'm thinking we want a DVR.

Now, we have an older TiVo Series 2. Only records 1 show at a time. And doesn't work with HD channels.

So, we'd need to get a new TiVo if we want to watch HD channels.

What's all that mean?

If we want to watch HD TV broadcasts, we'd need to get a new TiVo. That's $300 for a Series 2 HD TiVo.

Then, $66 a month for and HD package from the cable company. Oh, wait. We'd need a cable card for the new TiVo. That makes it $70 a month. Plus the $12.95 a month for TiVo.

Or, we could get the cable company's HD package with their DVR. That would be $71 a month, with no monthly TiVo fee.

Or, we could just keep watching standard cable for $43 a month. Only, we'd be watching it on a better TV.

What are we going to do?

I have no idea.

Catfish swept by Asheville

The Road Trip From Hell ended this afternoon. The Columbus Catfish lost their 6th straight game to conclude a 1-7 road trip, falling to the Asheville Tourists (Rockies) 2-1.

Catfish drop 5th straight

Asheville Tourists (Rockies) DH Jeffrey Cunningham had a 2-HR, 6-RBI night as Asheville beat the Columbus Catfish, 9-5 Sunday night.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Secrets

I can keep a secret.

I had secret clearance when I was in the Army. A job needed it, they ran the checks, and I was given it.

There's a higher clearance level. There are lower clearance levels. Secret was the one I had.

What brought this up?

Did you hear about what Jimmy Carter said? According to the BBC, Carter told Israel's worst-kept secret: they have nuclear weapons.

Mr Carter gave the figure for the Israeli nuclear arsenal in response to a question on US policy on a possible nuclear-armed Iran, arguing that any country newly armed with atomic weapons faced overwhelming odds.

"The US has more than 12,000 nuclear weapons; the Soviet Union (sic) has about the same; Great Britain and France have several hundred, and Israel has 150 or more," he said.


Everyone knew Israel already had nuclear weapons. But no one in authority, with actual knowledge, ever said so.

The US, a key ally of Israel, has in general followed the country's policy of "nuclear ambiguity", neither confirming or denying the existence of its assumed arsenal.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert included Israel among a list of nuclear states in comments in December 2006, a week after US Defence Secretary Robert Gates used a similar form of words during a Senate hearing.

Former Israeli military intelligence chief Aharon Zeevi-Farkash told Reuters news agency he considered Mr Carter's comments "irresponsible".


As a soldier with a secret clearance, I was privy to some information that should remain ... well ... secret. Many others had a higher level of clearance and were privy to more sensitive information. And, what I had access to in no way compares to what the President of the United States has ... or what a former President had.

However, things I was told to keep secret, I've kept secret. And things I witnessed or otherwise became aware, that I wasn't told to keep secret, I've kept secret if I thought it was best.

In other words, I know when to keep my mouth shut.

Jimmy Carter doesn't.

Or maybe, just maybe, he does. Maybe he just tells more than he should when it meets his agenda.

Typical liberal Democrat.

Mommy

Mommy died.

My Mommy.

Your Mommy.

Everybody's Mommy.

Thelma Keane, the inspiration for Mommy in The Family Circus, died Friday, the Arizona Republic reports.

Thelma Keane, depicted as Mommy in The Family Circus cartoon, died of Alzheimer's disease Friday at age 82.

Bil Keane's cartoons reflected his family's at-home adventures through Billy, Dolly, Jeffy, PJ and their parents. His wife, "Thel" (rhythms with bell), was an inspiration for the cartoons and had such a clear likeness to Mommy that people recognized her at grocery stores, the cartoonist said Sunday.

As The Family Circus gained fans, Thel became her husband's business and financial manager. The comic strip is now featured in about 1,500 newspapers.

"I give all the credit to my wife, Thel, who was the inspiration for all the cartoons," Keane said. "The loss means she was very, very vital to any success that I had."


When I was little, I read the cartoon, calling it "The Family Circle" because, well, it was in a circle and I didn't know better.

As I grew, I came to appreciate The Family Circus. While it was a simple comic strip, it was full of the intricacies of life: love, happiness, death, hurt, tears, laughter ... life.

And now, Mommy has died.

We'll miss her.

Remember

During the time I wore my country's uniform, I was mostly in a situation where I was at home. That is, I got up in the morning and went to work.

Only, instead of driving to a factory or an office, I went to an Army post.

We'd occasionally deploy on a training exercise, but those really didn't last all that long. Most of the time, I was, in effect, stationed at home.

Most soldiers aren't so fortunate.

But, during the brief time away from home, we thought of those back home.

When set up in a Georgia swamp or woods, we thought of family back home.

When on the DMZ in Korea, we thought of family back home.

When in the California desert, training for future desert deployments, we thought of those back home.

When in the Sahara, on the border with Libya, we thought of those back home.

When in the Arabian Desert, on the border with Saddam's Iraq, we thought of those back home.

Because that's what soldiers do. That's what those wearing Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force uniforms do: they think of those back home.

Today is Memorial Day.

It is not the day to think of those who are defending our country. Rather, it's a day to remember a special group of those that defended our country -- those that, while defending our country, gave their lives for you, me, and everyone here in this great land of ours.

I know that they were thinking of you.

The least you can do is think of them.

6-run 5th inning does in Catfish

It doesn't take much to ruin your night.

It took 1 inning to ruin the Columbus Catfish' night.

The Asheville Tourists (Rockies) put up 6 runs in the 5th inning, on their way to a 9-3 win over the Catfish Sunday night.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Movie concessions

Yesterday, The Wife and I went to the movies. And saw the new Indiana Jones movie. Read about it here (warning, spoilers!).

Went to the early show. One of them, anyway. They were showing it every 15 minutes. And we caught the last of the early shows. Paid matinée price.

Which meant we only paid $13.50 for the two tickets.

But then, I bought popcorn.

A large drink (so we could share), a large popcorn (so we could share), and a box of candy ran ... $12.50.

Because they had a "special." Would normally cost even more. But we saved a few cents by getting the "special."

The drink was full. Not overloaded with ice.

The popcorn was movie popcorn. Big bag, spilling the whole way.

The box of candy? Big box. But, unlike the Coke and popcorn, not a lot of candy. Half candy, half empty box.


We ended up paying $26 for the two of us to see the movie and have a movie snack.

That's only $13 each.

No, we don't have more dollars than we have sense. We just act like it sometimes.

But, that's just how it is. If you go to the movie, unless you sneak food in (and I don't), you either do without ... or pay the big bucks.

And that's the concessions you make at the concessions.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The Wife and I went to the movies yesterday.

We don't go a lot. Which is a shame. I really enjoy going to the movies.

The thing is, there isn't often anything worth paying $9.00 to see. That both The Wife and I want to see, at least.

You see, I like going to the movies better than she does.

So, I thought it'd be okay for us to go see the new Indiana Jones movie.

Silly me.

Turns out, she'd seen all of the previous Indiana Jones flicks ... except for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

And Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

And Raiders of the Lost Ark.

But she'd seen all the others.

Yeah, its true. I didn't realize she hadn't seen the others. And she didn't bother to see them.

Me? I won't go see a sequel unless I've seen the first in the series. She's not that way.

Anyway, we saw the movie. And it was alright.

***SPOILERS FOLLOW***

Catfish lose late to Asheville

It was a pitchers' duel most of the night. But the last inning at bat for the Asheville Tourists (Rockies) proved the undoing for the Columbus Catfish Saturday night.

The Catfish suffered their 3rd straight loss -- and 9th loss in 12 games -- to Asheville, 4-2.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Catfish blown out by Hickory

Just when things look promising, reality rears its ugly head.

After 3 close games with the Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) ... including a win on Wednesday ... the Columbus Catfish weren't even in the game Friday night, losing 12-2:

Columbus got the scoring going in the 1st when Reid Fronk's groundout scored Maiko Loyola, who had doubled to lead-off the game. This would be the only lead the Catfish would have as the Crawdads then piled up 12 straight runs highlighted by Miles Durham's 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in and Austin McClune's 3 runs batted in. Columbus would finish the scoring with a home run by Ian Paxton in the top of the 9th, his first of the season.

Columbus was led offensively by Maiko Loyola, who was 2-4 with 2 doubles, and Reid Fronk, who was 2-4 with a run batted in. Ian Paxton came in for Mike McCormick as a defensive substitution and took advantage of his only at-bat, hitting a solo home run in the top of the 9th. Glenn Gibson took his 7th loss of the season.


The Catfish don't play Hickory again until the 2nd half of the season. They went 2-6 against Hickory in the 1st half.

Saturday, the Catfish visit Asheville for 4 games before returning home Thursday.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Catfish drop another to Hickory

After snapping the Hickory Crawdads' (Giants) 8-game winning streak the night before, the Columbus Catfish found themselves on the short end of a 2-1 decision to Hickory.

Hickory scored a pair of runs in the 3rd to take an early 2-0. The Catfish narrowed the score in the 7th...

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Catfish snap Hickory streak with 2-1 win

The Hickory Crawdads' (Giants) 8-game winning streak began ... and ended ... with the Columbus Catfish.

Eight days ago, the Catfish dropped the first of three straight to Hickory, who then swept Rome in 4, then beat the Catfish last night.

Tonight, the Catfish edged Hickory 2-1 to snap the South Atlantic League's current longest winning streak.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Catfish drop series opener in Hickory

P Woods Fines, a member of the 2007 South Atlantic League champions Columbus Catfish made his 2008 debut tonight, but had a rough night of it as the Catfish fell, 7-5, to the Hickory Crawdads (Pirates).

Fines went 4 innings, allowing 7 runs on 10 hits, including a pair of 2-run homers, taking the loss. The bullpen, however, was outstanding. After Fines got the final 3 batters in the 4th inning out, reliever Kevin Boggan pitched 3 perfect innings of relief, and Travis Barnett pitched a perfect 9th.

Monday, May 19, 2008

A grown-up responds to Kid Obama's stance on Iran

Sen. Barack H. Obama (D-IL) has said he'd meet with Iran's president without preconditions, if he's elected President of the United States.

The naive Senator was called on his position by an experienced Senator, John S. McCain, III (R-AZ)...



Nice to hear a grown-up explaining things to the kids.

If only the kids would listen. But they won't. And that's why people like Obama need to be kept far from the Oval Office. And why someone like McCain is desperately needed as our next President.

Catfish sting GreenJackets, 11-2

Catfish take lead
Catfish take the lead against Augusta
The Columbus Catfish earned a split with the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) by virtue of their 11-2 win tonight, helping make up for the big Augusta win the night before.

Down 1-0 going into the bottom of the 1st, the Catfish tied it up on DH Greg Sexton's double to left that scored RF Jackson Brennan, who had walked.

Down 2-1 going into the bottom of the 5th, the Catfish took the lead. C Stephen Vogt singled, was sacrificed to second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by LF Shawn Williams. CF Maiko Loyola gave the Catfish the lead with a 2-run single to center, sending Brennan and Williams across the plate.

Obama wants to lead America away from America

I saw the quote on Drudge:

OBAMA: 'We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK'...


Now, while such a statement from the likes of Sen. Barack H. Obama -- or any other wild-eyed liberal -- wouldn't surprise me, I thought it best to read it for myself. Drudge will, on occasion, snip something here and put it with something there and, well, alter the meaning. Not saying he means to, but it does go with my philosophy of not depending on headlines, but instead, read the meat of the story.

I did.

And, sure enough, Sen. Obama said exactly that:

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

"That's not leadership. That's not going to happen," he added.


So, Barack H. Obama's idea of leadership is to do what other countries like?

This is the man that wants to lead the Free World?

What's amazing to me is that some people in this country actually fall for the nonsense he spouts.

There's no way anyone with a lick of sense would vote for this clown.

Oh, and if you find that you would vote for this clown ... well, you know what I think about you, don't you.

Unless, of course, you've just got caught up in all the hype. And, if that's the case, I'm disappointed in you. I expect better of you than that.

Anyway, back to what Obama said. About worrying what "other countries are going to say."

As long as we're doing what's right, it doesn't matter what other countries say.

It only matters what we do.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Ugly shoes

CrocsI have never like those shoes called "Crocs."

I saw them. And I heard people mention "Crocs." But it was a while before I put the name with the shoe.

But, one day, it dawned on me: Crocs are those ugly-ass shoes that way too many people wear.

And, I knew you'd never catch me dead in those.

However, me feet hurt.

In the Army, I had feet that hurt for another reason: A planter wart.

I haven't experienced any issue with that problem for some time. Which is good.

But, my feet hurt.

Partly because they carry around too much weight -- yes, I need to put my fat ass on a diet. And my feet hurt partly because I'm getting older every day. And partly because I'm pretty rough on shoes.

This week, The Wife told me about a co-worker of hers who is wearing Crocs. And those Crocs don't look like Crocs. They look half-presentable.

So, we looked up Crocs on the Interwebs, and found out that they don't all look like those "I live on the beach listening to Jimmy Buffett all day" shoes that are really ugly.

Anyhow, she decided she wanted some. Found the style she was looking for, and Saturday, we went shopping for them.

Couldn't find them in the size and style she wanted. If we'd have kept looking, we'd have found them. But we didn't keep looking.

She decided that when I went to the baseball game today, I'd take the time to get her some shoes. So, I did.

In the meantime, my feet hurt.

And I'm not wearing work (dress) shoes. I'm wearing ... oh, I don't know what they're called, but they're casual shoes.

And they hurt my feet.

So, after the game, I headed to another store that sold Crocs, and bought me a pair.

Yes, those really ugly ones.

And, yes, they're comfortable.

You still won't catch me dead wearing them. Cause I'll be buried in dress shoes. But alive? Yes, you'll see me in them. Not at work. But at the ball game. Cause I got them in the blue: the colors of the Columbus Catfish.

Catfish stung by GreenJackets

McCormick scored on homer3B Greg Sexton went 3-for-4 but it was nowhere near enough as the Columbus Catfish fell to the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 13-2 this afternoon.

Things started bad ... and got worse as the day dragged on. Augusta jumped to a 3-0 lead with a pair in the 3rd and another in the 4th.

The Catfish trimmed it in the 4th. 3B Greg Sexton doubled with 1 out, then scored on a single to left by LF Reid Fronk.

Sen. McCain offers good advice for Democrats

In case you missed it on Saturday Night Live, Arizona Senator John McCain appeared, and offered some assistance to the Democrats as the nomination process continues...



I certainly hope the Democrats take his advice.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Catfish lose in 10 to Augusta

JohnIt took 10 innings, but the outcome was all too familiar. The Columbus Catfish fell to the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 2-1 tonight.

Down 1-0 after 4 innings, the Catfish tied it up in the 5th. With 1 out, CF Maiko Loyola singled, stole second (his 20th stolen base), then scored when RF Reid Fronk hit a sharp grounder to first that Augusta 1B Thomas Neal stopped, but was unable to retrieve the ball in time.

Things remained tied until the 10th, when Augusta managed to scratch out a run ... and the win.

Catfish starter Alex Cobb pitched well enough to win, but didn't figure in the decision. He went 6 innings, allowing a run on 5 hits, striking out 3. Justin Garcia went 3 innings, allowing 2 hits, striking out 5. Travis Barnett pitched the 10th, allowing 1 hit and 1 run, taking his 1st loss.

Game 3 of the series is Sunday afternoon.

In a non-game related note, the Catfish honored South Atlantic League retired president John H. Moss tonight. They gave away 10 autographed baseballs, and The Wife had one of the winning numbers. And the Catfish GM, Ken Clary, looked me up during the game and gave me an autographed bobble head. He said he appreciated all the loyal fans the Catfish have had, including me, and wanted to make sure I got one of the bobble heads. That was quite kind of Ken and the Catfish to think of me ... and the other fans ... that way.

Just in case you aren't familiar with John H. Moss, he retired as president of the SAL at the end of last year. He served for 50 years, beginning back when it was the Western Carolinas League. He kept the league afloat during some lean times, and has helped the league experience unprecedented growth and success. He took the league from what was indeed Western Carolinas League, to a true South Atlantic League ... and beyond. The SAL now reaches to the Great Lakes and up to New Jersey.

So, yes, John H. Moss is a baseball man of note, particularly in the minor leagues. I certainly appreciate the gifts from the Catfish, and from Messrs. Clary and Moss.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Catfish end skid, beat Augusta

Basil, Catfish fanThings turned around tonight for the Columbus Catfish, who jumped out to an early lead, then held on to beat the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 3-1 tonight.

3B Greg Sexton doubled home RF Reid Fronk in the 1st to put the Catfish up 1-0.

Fronk drove in CF Maiko Loyola in the 5th, and DH Shawn Williams drove in LF Stephen Vogt with a double to center in the 6th, putting the Catfish up 3-0.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Catfish drop 3rd straight to no-longer-slumping Hickory

Basil, Catfish fanComing into this series, the Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) had lost 9 of 11. And, after the opening game, 10 of 12.

That had to be frustrating for Hickory. And they took their frustrations out on the Columbus Catfish, winning the next 3, concluding with tonight's 10-2 win over my Catfish.

3,980 fans disguised as empty seats










Just in case anyone was wondering why this is the last year the Columbus Catfish will be the Columbus Catfish...

The photos on the left are photos I took between the 1st and 2nd pitches of tonight's ball game.

It's Thirsty Thursday. That means dollar beer.

And, no those are not 3,980 fans disguised as empty seats. Those are actual empty seats.

So, when the Catfish pack up and move to Bowling Green, Kentucky after the season is over, I won't be surprised.

They certainly aren't getting support from the local fans.

Or, worse, maybe they are. Maybe it's just that there are only a handful of baseball fans in the Columbus area. That would explain a lot.

Of course, I've heard all kinds of excuses.

One is that the ballpark is located in a "bad area." That's code for "Black folks and Mexicans live around there." Though those that say it's a "bad area" say that's not what they mean, it is.

Another excuse is that "it's only Single-A baseball." Well, Columbus had a Double-A team. And they left because of poor attendance.

And then there's the old "I'd go if it was a Braves team playing." Of course, the Braves team does play here a total of 12 times (out of 70 games) this year. And most of those that give the "if it was a Braves team" excuse don't come to those 12 games when the Braves team is playing here.

So, what's the real reason?

Simple. Most folks don't care.

And for that reason alone, Columbus is losing their baseball team.

Oh, and next year? I expect to hear lots of people complaining that there's nothing to do in town that's cheap, fun, and fit for the whole family.

Too bad they don't know about the Catfish. Or care.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Catfish rally falls short




Catfish fans

A father and daughter enjoying a Catfish game


The first inning took 28 minutes, the bullpen went 6 innings and allowed just 2 hits, and there was a 5-minute delay for an injured umpire. It all added up to an exciting game, but another Catfish loss.

The Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) won there 2nd game in a row after a 2-10 stretch, holding on to beat the Columbus Catfish 7-6 tonight.

The cure for what ails you

Every now and then, someone will say something that could be taken a couple of different ways. A double entendre, for those what talk all fancy-like.

I'm not about to pass up any such opportunity, often trying to respond in a way that fits both the intended and unintended meanings. The hardest part of that is keeping a straight face, and trying to look all innocent. Sometimes, I succeed in maintaining a plausible deniability.

Today, The Wife and I went to eat at a restaurant downtown for lunch. An actual sit-down restaurant, not a fast-food eatin' place.

I had already caught her in one of those unintentional turns of a phrase that could have a double meaning. And, no, I won't discuss it, other than to say she nearly spit her tea out trying not to laugh when I called her on it.

But the second, I must relay to you, because ... well ... it actually had the intended effect.

You'll see what I mean.

We were nearly done eating, and she was finishing off her seafood salad. I drank some tea, and felt a slight ... ever so slight ... twinge in my shoulder. I winced.

"You okay?" The Wife asked.

"Just my shoulder," I replied.

Since she always carries Aleve (or actually, a Walgreen's equivalent) in her purse, and since her purse was on the floor at her feet, she pointed to her purse and asked, "Would you like some of this?"

Now, we're at a small table, a four-seater. We are on adjoining sides; she's to my right, I'm to her left, and her purse is at her left foot.

She uses her right hand (she's right-handed) to point. She's pointing toward her purse. But, there's one thing in between her pointing finger and her purse that she forgot about: her lap.

So, my wife is sitting there, unknowingly pointing to her lap, and asking me, "Would you like some of this?"

I freeze, staring at her intently, then blink two, three times.

Finally, "Why, yes, I would, come to think of it."

That's when she realizes the situation.

"Oh, you! I meant some Aleve. It's in my purse. At my feet!"

I declined.

I had forgotten all about my shoulder hurting.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Catfish drop 2nd game of series to Hickory

Basil, Catfish fanThey didn't dig themselves a deep hole, just one deep enough to not be able to crawl out of. And every time they nearly got out, they dug a little deeper.

The Columbus Catfish fell behind early to the Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) early, and couldn't catch up, losing 7-5 tonight.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Catfish open home stand with win

Basil, Catfish fanThe best answer for a case of the Mondays is ending the Monday on a good note. And the Columbus Catfish did just that tonight, beating the Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) 6-4.

Former Catfish named SL Pitcher of the Week

Former Columbus Catfish pitcher James McDonald (Catfish 2006) was named Pitcher of the Week for the Southern League.
Southern League
James McDonald, Jacksonville
1-0, 1.38 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 SO
The California native picked up his first victory in nearly a month on Sunday, when he tossed six innings of two-run ball at Mobile. He scattered six hits, striking out seven and walking just one. That came on the heels of his best effort of the season -- seven innings of shutout ball at home against Carolina on Tuesday. McDonald tied a season high with nine strikeouts in that game and didn't walk a batter. He lowered his season ERA from 5.27 to 4.02 during the week.


McDonald played for the Catfish in 2006, earning SAL Pitcher of the Week honors the last week of the season. Last year, he picked up California League Pitcher of the Week honors for the week ending June 19. He was also named a Minor League All-Star by Baseball America for 2007.

During 2006 as a member of the Catfish, McDonald appeared in 30 games, 22 as a starter. Though he only went 5-10, his ERA was a respectable 3.98. He had 1 shutout, and had 2 complete games. No one in the SAL had more that year. McDonald allowed just 15 earned runs, 5th best in the league. McDonald was a member of the Catfish when they were a Dodgers affiliate. He's now at the Dodgers' Double-A team in Jacksonville.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Catfish blast Augusta

DH Shawn Williams went 5-for-5 and drove in 2 runs to help the Columbus Catfish beat the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 9-1 tonight.

The Catfish punched across 4 runs in the top of the 1st. 3B Greg Sexton drove in CF Emeel Salem, who singled. LF Steven Vogt doubled home Williams, who had also doubled, and RF Maiko Loyola, who had walked. C Mike McCormick reached on an error that allowed Sexton to score, and the Catfish had a 4-0 lead.

In the 2nd, Sexton singled in Williams, who was hit by a pitch, and the lead was 5-0.

The 3rd inning saw the Catfish score again. 1B Henry Wrigley tripled, driving in McCormick, who had singled. 2B Seth Dhaenens drove Wrigley in on a sacrifice fly. Williams singled in Salem, who had reached on a single, putting the Catfish up 8-0.

Augusta narrowed it slightly with a run in the 4th, but the Catfish got the run back in the 6th. Williams drove in Salem with a single up the middle, making it 9-1.

Besides Williams' 5-for-5 performance, Salem and Sexton had 3 hits each. Wrigley's triple was his 4th of the season, tops in the league.

Brian Flores picked up his 2nd win of the season, going 5 innings, allowing a run on 6 hits, striking out 7. Jesse Darcy pitched 3 perfect innings, striking out a pair. Jose Mejias pitched a perfect 9th.

The win gives the Catfish a split with Augusta, and brings them home Monday on a 2-game winning streak.

Verizon Broadband on a MacBook

I mentioned earlier the issues I had with using my Verizon phone's broadband capabilities with my MacBook.

I never could get the VZAccess Manager to work. But I got the phone to work.

Okay, Alex with Verizon tech support got it to work. But I get all the benefits.

And, it occurred to me. Others might have the same problem, since the research shows that others have had the same issue. Research also showed that many never could get VZAccess Manager to work.

Well, here's how to get the phone to work as a broadband modem, which is the goal anyway.

First, you got to make sure your phone supports the feature. Your Verizon sales associate ... mine was Will, at the Verizon store in Peachtree Mall in Columbus ... told me mine did. And he was right.

Next, you either need the Mobile Office Kit, or you need Bluetooth connectivity. I have both, but prefer the cable, since it's faster than the Bluetooth connectivity.

Then, try to use the Verizon installation discs. It might work for you. And, if it does, great. But if not, you're in the same boat I was in.

Assuming that, you need to remove your VZAccess Manager installation.

Next, open System Preferences. That's your little Apple icon in the top left corner, then selecting System Preferences.

When that opens, select Network.

In the left-hand column, look for something that refers to a USB modem. In the main window on the right, create a new configuration. Call it anything, but something useful ... like VZW ... would be a good idea.

For Telephone Number, enter: #777

For Account Name, enter your phone number, followed by "@vzw3g.com" ... meaning that if your phone number is 404-555-1234, that you should enter: 4045551234@vzw3g.com

For your password, enter: vzw

Ensure that "Show modem status in menu bar" is checked.

Click Apply, then click Advanced.

Select the Modem tab. In Vendor, look for "Verizon." If you don't find it, select "Other."

In Model, look for "1xEDVO" or something along that line. Failing that, select a Verizon entry. I had "Verizon Support (PC 5220)"

Ensure "Enable error correction and compression in modem" is checked.

For Dial Mode, select "Ignore dial tone when dialing"

Ensure Dialing is set to "Tone" and that Sound is set to "On"

Click OK. Click Apply (if it's not grayed out).

Close System Preferences, because you're done!

To test it, look for the modem icon on the menu bar. It looks like a phone receiver with dots and dashes coming out of it.

You should see an option to connect your phone. Mine says "Connect LG CDMA USB Modem"

If all this doesn't work, call Verizon Wireless tech support. Ask for Alex. I'm sure he'd appreciate the reference.

But, be aware that this did work for me.

How do I know?

I'm sitting in a fast food restaurant, eating a hamburger, connected to the Internet using my Verizon Wireless phone on my MacBook.

Can you connect to me now? Good.

Got a new toy.

Okay, I didn't get a new toy. I just found a new use for an old toy. Which is just as good.

I've dealt with a couple of different cell phone providers over the years: Alltel, T-Mobile, Verizon ... and others that are no longer in business or have been absorbed by others. Currently, we're using Verizon. Service is mostly good. Most of the time, in our travels, we find good to excellent reception.

Anyway, last summer, I got a MacBook. And, after some initial issues with the hard drive, it's been a good computer.

One problem, though. There aren't a lot of places where I can get on the Internet easily.

Sure, when I'm at home, it's easy to get on the Internet. We have a wireless network set up. I can get on with my MacBook. The Wife can get on with her Dell notebook.

But, what about when I'm away from home?

Some restaurants have free wi-fi access. Burger King in downtown Columbus, for instance. And the Subway downtown.

The McDonald's downtown says they offer it, but they don't. It don't work, anyway, and the folks I speak with there about it are totally without a clue.

The mall has connectivity, but it's through Wayport, who wants a monthly fee. Not a bad deal, either: $10 a month is cheap enough. But only a few places here use Wayport. There's the mall, and ... well, Wayport says McDonald's, but the mascot isn't the only clown there.

I've been thinking about an iPhone. That'd be cool. But AT&T is the only provider there. That's not a problem, except that I'd have to switch the phone in the car back to a prepay package through On*Star, or do without; Verizon is the only provider that works with On*Star, or so Verizon and On*Star say. And I believe them.

The only other thing about an iPhone is the ease of use. I like to use a computer, not something the size of my iPod. Something with a real keyboard.

Verizon offers a USB attachment that will work with PC or Mac. And I nearly bought one of those.

Then, Will at the Verizon store in Peachtree Mall in Columbus told me about another route available to me.

Will told me that my phone, an LG VX8300, can be used as a broadband modem.

Wha...???

This little phone I've been carrying around for nearly two years?

Yep. I can connect it via the Verizon Mobile Office Kit (regularly $40, but on special for $10; less with my corporate discount).

Which means that, if I'm, say, at a baseball game, and I want to get on the Internet ... I can.

Heh. I'm liking that idea.

So, I got it. And added the broadband access to the plan. Which, because we didn't need to make any major changes, did not require any change to our plan. We aren't tied to it for two years, for instance; we can drop it when we want.

And I went home happy last night.

Didn't stay happy long, though. I couldn't get it to work.

Rather than play through all the sordid details, here's (briefly) how it played out.

Verizon took two customer service reps to finally decide that I didn't have the proper modem script for my phone. I was told I needed to get that from Apple.

Apple, on the other hand, said they didn't make scripts or drivers for phones. They said I'd need to get them from Verizon.

So, this morning, I got Verizon on one phone, Apple on another, and the MacBook on the other.

Everyone finally decided the other was at fault.

Except that Alex, the guy from Verizon, wanted me to go away happy. The others, I suspect, just wanted me to go away.

So, Alex got on his computer, suggested some things I could look up on mine (remember, I'm trying to get my phone to work as a modem, but still have access via my home network, if desired), and we went to town on it.

Alex found a couple of settings to try with the modem drivers and scripts that Apple supplied with the computer (despite their statement that they didn't). And, after several instances that included the phrase, "Hey, y'all, watch this," we finally got it working.

Then, he agreed to stay on the line with me to get the phone to work without the cable; yes, a Bluetooth connection is possible with my phone. And we got it working.

All the folks at Verizon ... all five of them, last night and this morning combined ... attempted to be helpful. All wanted to do more. And the last, Alex, actually got it working.

Apple? The place with the geniuses? Not so helpful. I guess all their geniuses had the day off, and I ended up with the second string. One said he couldn't help me, that no one could, and didn't seem too eager to go above and beyond. The other guy at Apple was much more willing, but no more helpful, in the end.

Kudos to Alex at Verizon Wireless technical support for helping me get my broadband phone modem working. And kudos to Will at the Verizon store for directing me to the way that was most useful for me, even though it cost him the sale of a piece of equipment, since I was able to use existing equipment to connect.

Verizon? Can you hear me now? You done good.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Catfish edge Augusta

Shawn O'Malley kept his hitting streak alive and drove in 2 runs as the Columbus Catfish broke a losing streak, beating the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 5-3 tonight.

The Catfish broke out on top first, scoring twice in the 3rd inning. 1B Henry Wrigley singled, moved to second on a ground out, and scored when SS Omar Luna singled to center. With 2 outs, O'Malley singled home Luna, and the Catfish were up 2-0.

Augusta tied it in th bottom of the 3rd. But in the 5th, the Catfish took the lead for good. C Mike McCormick reached on a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored when Wrigley singled.

In the 6th, 3B Greg Sexton drove in RF Maiko Loyola, who had singled, stolen second, and moved to third on an error.

Augusta closed it to 4-3 in the bottom of the 6th, but the Catfish extended the lead when Luna, who doubled and moved to third on a single by CF Emeel Salem, scored when O'Malley reached on a fielder's choice.

Starter Jason Ragan picked up his league-leading 5th win of the season. He joins teammate Alex Cobb in the 5-win club. Ragan went 6 innings, allowing 3 runs ... 2 earned ... and striking out 2. Reliever Travis Barnett didn't allow a hit in 2 innings work, and Kevin Boggan picked up a save by pitching the 9th, shutting down Augusta.

O'Malley's 2 RBIs lead the Catfish. The DH has hit safely in all 6 games he's appeared in since being called up. Luna led all batters with 3 hits, while Wrigley, Loyola, and Salem each had a pair.

Loyola had 2 stolen bases, bringing his total to 16, 3rd-best in the league, behind teammate and league leader Salem, who has 23, and Asheville's Everth Cabrera, who stole his 17th tonight against Charleston.

The win puts the Catfish in position to earn a split in the series with Augusta, if they can win the final game Saturday night. After taking Mother's Day off, the Catfish return to Columbus Monday to open an 8-game home stand.

Catfish lose again to Augusta

They had the lead, but couldn't hold it.

After coming from behind to take the lead in the 5th, a 3-run 7th did in the Columbus Catfish last night, as they lost their 2nd straight game to the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) 6-4 Thursday night.

Augusta took a 1-0 lead in the 1st, and the Catfish tied it up in the 2nd. 1B Henry Wrigley singled home 3B Greg Sexton, who had reached on an error to start the inning.

Augusta retook the lead with single runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings. The Catfish closed the gap in the 4th. Sexton tripled, then scored on a single by RF Reid Fronk, making it 3-2.

In the 5th, the Catfish took the lead. Wrigley singled, DH Cody Cipriano walked, then 2B Omar Luna singled to load the bases. CF Maiko Loyola singled home Wrigley, then SS Shawn O'Malley drove in Cipriano, giving the Catfish the lead.

3 Augusta runs in the 7th, though, did the Catfish in.

Josh Johnson went 5 innings for the Catfish, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, recording 4 strikeouts along the way. Chris Fessler took the loss, going an inning and 2/3, allowing 3 runs and getting 1 K. It's his 1st loss, as well as his 1st blown save, of the year. Austin Hinkle pitched the rest of the game, allowing 2 hits and recording 2 strikeouts.

Wrigley went 3-for-4, his 3rd multi-hit game of this road trip. He had an RBI ad scored a run. Luna, Fronk, and Loyola each had 2 hits for the Catfish. O'Malley's hit means he's had a hit in all 5 games he's played since being called up.

The series continues Friday night, with the Catfish needing to win then and the following night in order to earn a split.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Catfish edged by Augusta

The Augusta Greenjackets (Giants) edged the Columbus Catfish 4-3 tonight in the 1st game of a 4-game series.

Augusta jumped to a 3-0 lead, thanks to 2 in the 1st and 1 in the 4th, but the Catfish tied it up with a 3-run 5th.

With 1 out in the 5th, 1B Stephen Vogt singled, moved to third on a double by C Ian Paxton, and scored with 2B Omar Luna hit a 2-run single left. Luna scored on SS Shawn O'Malley's RBI single to right, tying the game at 3.

It stayed that way until the 8th, when Augusta punched the winning run across.

RF Maiko Loyola was 3-for-4 to lead all batters. Luna had 2 hits for the Catfish.

Starter Glenn Gibson allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, striking out 6 in the no-decision. Travis Barnett went 2 innings, allowing 2 hits and notching 4 Ks. Justin Garcia pitched the 8th, allowing the winning run on a walk and a hit. He was tagged with his 3rd loss of the season.

The win was the 8th straight by Augusta. The loss was the 7th in the last 10 games for the Catfish. The series continues Thursday night in Augusta.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Grand slam leads Catfish to win

Columbus Catfish DH Greg Sexton went 4-for-5 and drove in 5 runs, including 4 on a 6th inning grand slam, to help the Catfish down the Greenville Drive (Red Sox) 11-5 tonight. It is the Catfish' 2nd straight win, and gives them a split in the series.

Down 1-0 after a 1st inning solo homer by Greenville RF Ryan Kalish, the Catfish scored twice in the 3rd, when SS Omar Luna, who singled with 1 out, scored on a bases loaded walk to RF Maiko Loyola. CF Emeel Salem, who had singled, then scored when Sexton grounded out to second.

Greenville took a 4-2 lead on a Che-Hsuan Lin 3-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd.

The Catfish tied it up in the 6th. Loyola walked and scored on groundout by C Mike McCormick. Sexton, who had doubled, scored on a single by 1B Henry Wrigley.

In the 7th, the Catfish broke it open. With 1 out, Salem singled, LF Stephen Vogt reached on an error, and Loyola singled to right to load the bases. That set the stage for Sexton's 4-run blast to left, putting the Catfish up 8-4.

Three more runs in the 9th capped the win for the Catfish. 3B Reid Fronk doubled in Loyola, then McCormick doubled home Sexton and Fronk to increase the lead to 11-4.

Alex Cobb pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits, walking a pair, as he improved to 5-2, tops in the league in wins. Kevin Boggan pitched 2 innings, allowing 2 hits. Jose Mejias pitched the 9th, allowing a run on 1 hit and 3 walks, to close out the game.

Sexton's grand slam was his 1st home run of the season. His 5 RBIs puts him at 18, 1 behind Wrigley for the team lead. Salem, who went 3-for-5, stole his league-leading 23rd base of the year.

The win gives the Catfish a series split with Greenville, and sends them to Augusta on a 2-game winning streak. The Catfish and Augusta play 4 games beginning Wednesday night, concluding the road trip. They open an 8-game home stand Monday night.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Catfish edge Greenville

1B Henry Wrigley drove in 3 runs and P Brian Flores picked up his first win of the year as the Columbus Catfish edged the Greenville Drive (Red Sox) 4-3 Monday night.

Wrigley got his 1st RBI of the night in the 2nd inning when he tripled with 2 out, driving in 3B Greg Sexton, who had doubled.

Greenville tied it in the 4th, but the Catfish took the lead for good in the 6th.

With 1 out, DH Maiko Loyola bunted his way on base, them moved third on a ground out by 2B Cody Cipriano. Following a pitching change, Sexton reached on an error, scoring Loyola, and putting the Catfish up 2-1.

In the 8th, the Catfish added to their lead when Wrigley doubled, scoring Sexton, who had walked, and C Mike McCormick, who had singled.

Greenville scored a run in the 8th, and another in the 9th, to make it 4-3, but reliever Austin Hinkle came in with 1 out and the tying run in scoring position. Hinkle picked of the runner, then struck out the Greenville batter to end the game.

Wrigley's 3 RBIs came on 2 hits, a double and a triple. Loyola went 3 for 5.

Flores had his longest outing of the year, pitching 5 innings. The converted reliever allowed 1 run on 4 hits, striking out a pair. Jesse Darcy pitched 3-1/3 innings, allowing a pair of runs on 5 hits, striking out 5. Hinkle's 2/3 inning work earned him his 1st save.

The win is only the 2nd in the last 8 games for the Catfish, who now have a chance to earn a split in the series with Greenville. The 4th and final game of the series is Tuesday night at 7:00 PM in Greenville. The Catfish head to Augusta Wednesday for 4 games, before opening an 8-game home stand Monday night.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Catfish fall to Greenville again

The Columbus Catfish dropped another game today to the Greenvile Drive (Red Sox), 5-0.

Three Greenville pitchers held the Catfish to just 4 hits on the night.

In the 1st inning, the Catfish had 2 runners in scoring position on an error, a walk, and a ground out, but couldn't score. And in the 3rd, CF Shawn O'Malley doubled but couldn't score. No other Catfish runners were in scoring position the rest of the night.

Jason Ragan took his 2nd straight loss, going 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, walking 1 and striking out 4. Chris Fessler pitched the 6th, allowing a pair of runs, none earned, on 2 hits. Travis Barnett pitched the final 2 innings, and didn't allow a base runner. He had 3 Ks.

The Catfish now need to win both remaining games in the series to earn a split, before heading to Augusta on Wednesday.

Catfish lose in 9th

The Columbus Catfish dropped their 5th game in 6 tries, losing in the 9th to the Greenville Drive (Red Sox), 3-2 Saturday night.

Greenville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 4th, but the Catfish fought back to tie it.

With 2 outs in the 7th, C Stephen Vogt doubled, then scored when 1B Henry Wrigley singled. In the 9th, LF Reid Fronk doubled to right, move to third on a fly ball out, then score when Wrigley had his 2nd RBI single, and the game was tied at 2.

But in the 9th, Greenville won it, giving the Catfish another loss.

Starter Josh Johnson went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 5, but walking 5. Justin Garcia went 3 innings, didn't allow a hit, and had 4 Ks. Jose Mejias came in to pitch the 9th, but allowed a pair of hits, had one intentional walk, and took the loss.

The Catfish managed 11 hits, but left 6 on base. 2 runners were caught stealing, and other was throw out trying to stretch out a single.

Wrigley was 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs in a losing cause. CF Emeel Salem and SS Shawn O'Malley each had a pair of hits.

The Catfish have 3 more games in this series before heading to Augusta for four games.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Catfish shut out by Asheville

Basil, Catfish fanOne night after holding the Asheville Tourists scoreless, the visiting team returned the favor, shutting out the Columbus Catfish 3-0 tonight.

Glenn Gibson pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned rune on just 2 hits, striking out 4. However, his performance was matched by Asheville's Connor Graham, who allowed 4 hits in 7-2/3 innings. Gibson didn't get any run support, and would up with his 4th loss of the season.

Kevin Boggan pitched 2 perfect innings relief before allowing a run with 2 outs in the 9th.

The Catfish didn't get a runner into scoring position until there were 2 out in the 8th, and never mounted any offensive threat the entire night.

The loss means the Catfish lost another series, dropping 3 out of 4 to Asheville.

The Catfish head to Greenville then Augusta for a pair of 4-game series, before returning home on the 12th.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Catfish stop slide, beat Asheville

The Columbus Catfish finally solved the Asheville Tourists puzzle. After losing big, then losing close, the Catfish finally beat the visiting Tourists, 4-0 tonight.

I didn't make the game; some family events took precedence. And I missed a good one.

The Catfish loaded the bases in the 1st, and had runners on the corners in the 4th, but couldn't score.

Until the 5th.

With 1 out, 2B Cody Cipriano walked, then moved to second on a bunt single by RF Maiko Loyola. 3B Greg Sexton broke the tie with a 2-run single to center.

In the 6th, DH Henry Wrigley singled, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by 1B Seth Dhaenens, then scored on a single by SS Omar Luna. Following a change in pitchers, CF Emeel Salem singled, then stole second ... his league-leading 22nd stolen base. Cipriano walked, loading the bases. Then Loyola singled home Luna, putting the Catfish up 4-0.

Alex Cobb picked up his 4th win, allowing 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6.

Austin Hinkle, called up yesterday by the Catfish, make his first appearance, took over in the 7th. He pitched 2 innings, didn't allow a hit, walked a pair, and struck out 2. Jose Mejias, also called up yesterday, pitched the 9th, allowing a hit, and striking out 1.

The shutout was the first time this year any team has held Asheville scoreless. The four hits is the least to which any team has held Asheville this season.

Every Catfish batter reached base at least once. Loyola and Sexton had a pair of hits to lead the Catfish. They and Luna had the Catfish RBIs.

The series ends tomorrow night, with the Catfish needing a win to earn a split.