With the Trenton Thunder having been named the best organization in all of the minors by Baseball America just last year, it's rare for them to be the last to do anything. Especially something as important as getting their first win.

But that's exactly how the first two weeks of the 2006 season have unfolded, with the Thunder being the last team in all of professional baseball, including the big leagues, to pick up that first victory after starting their season with a dismal 10 consecutive losses.

The "magic" happened on April 17th at Waterfront Park in front of just 3,513 fans - less than half of the amount that showed up on Opening Day. Steven White, clearly the Thunder's MVP at this point of the year, was again phenomenal, scattering three hits over six and one third innings while striking out seven Altoona Curve batters in the team's 9-0 win. Four Thunder players had multi-hit games, and seven different players drove in runs.

With the team having already tied a franchise record set in 2001 for most losses to start a season, Thunder manager Bill Masse is glad to finally get that first win under his belt.

"It's strange," Masse said, "it really didn't feel like we were losing ten in a row. I don't want to sound like a broken record or anything, but it's been the same theme the whole time." 

"We're in the game until the sixth or seventh inning and it seems like the other team scores two or three runs and we can't generate enough offense to counter."

That 2001 team, which featured future big leaguers Casey Fossum, Justin Duchscherer and others finished a disappointing 67-75. That team clearly wasn't able to dig itself out of the hole they dug at the start of the season, but infielder J.T. Stotts thinks this year's club will be different.

"We have a good team," Stotts said, "I don't think it's any time to panic. We started off slow last year too, but our defense is good and pitching is really good. Once our hitting comes around, we'll be fine."

With the Thunder hitting .208 as a team and with no individual player hitting over .300, that "really good" pitching is going to have to be nothing short of spectacular to carry the Thunder through a tumultuous start to their 2006 campaign.

Thunder Notes: Prompted by Masse's comments that, 'This is all just an evil ploy to make me look like the greatest manager ever when we come all the way back and win the whole thing,' the Thunder front office capitalized by putting playoff tickets on sale after the team's first win on April 17th. With many thinking the release was a hoax, team officials then sent out a second press release...After being promoted to Triple-A Columbus for a few days, reliever Francisco Butto was returned to the team. Butto only made one appearance with the Clippers, striking out one batter and allowing three hits in two scoreless innings of work...With Thunder alumni Sean Henn out with shoulder stiffness, Columbus recalled former Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Wilson (0-2, 9.35 ERA) from Trenton to start in his place...Masse inserted Jeremy King into the rotation to take Wilson's place...The team recalled catcher Kevin Nelson from Single-A Staten Island to take Wilson's place...2004 Thunder pitcher Jeremy Ward signed with the Atlantic City Surf of the independent Atlantic League, while his ex-teammate David Shepard signed with the Newark Bears of the same league.

Around the Eastern League: Binghamton's Willie Collazo and New Britain's Denard Span were named the Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively. Collazo has yet to allow a earned run, while Span started the year 18-for-40 (.450)