The novelty must be wearing off by now. Getting struck out and shut down by Jay Crawford can’t be as much fun as it seemed at the beginning of the season.

As the SportsCenter host made his first tour of the Manchester Twilight League circuit, starstruck hitters almost seemed amused when set down by the smiling face from ESPN. There were tweets to @jaycrawford dripping with, if not pride, at least more pleasure than usual for beaten batters. There were smiles and high-fives. There were DA-DA-DA cheers from opposing dugouts.

It was all very cute.

But as the season hits the homestretch and Crawford completes his second go-round through the league, it can’t seem as much fun to face him. After holding Chicago Sam’s Orioles to one run in another complete game effort Monday night, Crawford now stands unbeaten with four wins and a 1.56 ERA. He has a WHIP of 1.08. He is dominating every time out, at 49 years old, and making a strong case for the league’s Cy Young Award.

If you’re having fun facing him at this point, you must not enjoy getting on base. Or winning.

Behind another Crawford gem, Elmer’s beat the Orioles 6-1. The game was tight throughout, with Elmer’s taking a 2-1 lead in the third on a Nick Dinino double that scored Russell LaFleur, and holding that score until breaking out for four runs in the top of the seventh.

Ken Cook continued to rake for the Silver Bullets, cracking a double and a single, and catcher Mike Cook tallied two RBI and a stole base after his seventh-inning single broke the game open. LaFleur and Mike Gwiazdowski also notched extra-base hits, while center fielder Dan Amarante added two hits and an RBI while tracking down a handful of balls in center field.

But it was another night highlighted by Crawford’s excellence on the mound. In his third straight complete game win, he scattered eight hits and struck out seven. He allowed one run that could’ve been marked as unearned, and didn’t allow a runner beyond second base after the second inning. He painted corners and coolly worked out of the little trouble he was in.

And he still has a job way better than yours. That guy has all the fun.