'Hawks shaken by Quakes

Rancho's Estrella hits two home runs to help down JetHawks

By GREG WAGNER
Valley Press Staff Writer

Problem was, he did so four times.

Estrella hit two home runs as part of his standout evening, more than enough production to send the JetHawks to a 7-1 loss at The Hangar.

"I don't know what it was but every time he came up I made a mistake," Wagler said. "He made me pay for it every time."

The rest of the Quakes' damage came on well-placed grounders and a double that center fielder T.J. Steele lost in the horizon, hanging seven earned runs on Wagler on a night in which only one hitter truly got to him.

With the way the JetHawks were swinging against Quakes starter Jayson Miller, though, that didn't make much of a difference.

Though the JetHawks had scored at least five runs off the Rancho Cucamonga lefty the last three times they faced him, they were all out of adjustments in their fifth encounter.

Miller (3-4) gave up only five hits and one run through seven innings, keeping the JetHawks off-balance with stout location.

"He throws the ball on the outside part of the plate better than most do," JetHawks manager Wes Clements said. "Give him credit."

The All-Star break can receive some of the credit for Brandon Barnes' surge.

The JetHawks outfielder had two more hits and, after four on Thursday, lifted his average all the way to .275 - a two-day increase that surpasses the century mark.

"The three days are good for my body and me mentally," he said.

Barnes passed up scholarship offers to play free safety at UCLA and Colorado State, choosing baseball instead.

Alberto Rosario wished he hadn't.

The Rancho Cucamonga catcher was leveled by Barnes in the opening inning, culminating in an inside-the-park home run that stood as the JetHawks' lone tally.

"He was in front of my plate," Barnes said.

On the play, Jeremy Moore and Clay Fuller looked at the sun, then at each other while Barnes' fly dropped between them in right center. Clements beckoned the JetHawks outfielder around third base and, though he would have been safe after Rancho Cucamonga's relay throw short-hopped Rosario, Barnes made sure that was the case. He charged in hard on Rosario, with both elbows up much like a safety, knocking off both his helmet and mask.

Rosario remained face down near home plate for several moments before remaining in the game.

"If you're going to stand there, you're going to get knocked over by a guy who plays baseball hard and that's what Barnesy does," Clements said.

The only reason Barnes had a chance to sprint home was that he ran hard from the moment he left the box, even though the ball was due to land in someone's glove in the outfield.

"I was at least getting a triple," Barnes said. "Then when Wes tells you to go, you go."

Estrella's first home run was pounded to the same part of the park as his first-inning double, this one just a few feet higher to reach the batter's eye. The shot ignited a four-run, two-out rally off Wagler (3-2) in the fifth, though it was hardly the right-hander's fault.

Fuller drove home a run on a ground single that only eluded Matt Weston because he was holding on a runner at first. Then Steele's mistake on a fly that was hanging up allowed two more runs to score.

"(Wagler) had some unfortunate stuff," Clements said. "Steeley went back and, it's twilight, and it gets tough. It's really tough twilight here."

The JetHawks loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Weston skied the first pitch from reliever Eddie McKiernan to left.

They did so again in the ninth, but couldn't break through after Barnes struck out on a high fastball and Jon Gaston fouled out - three more stranded runners on a night they left 11 men on base.

gwagner@avpress.com