JetHawks light up Oaks

Bo Robinson had three doubles and six RBI to lead Lancaster in its rout of Visalia.

A 40-mph wind blowing out to right was the first ominous sign.

Third baseman Bo Robinson had three doubles and six RBI as the Lancaster JetHawks registered a 24-9 rout of the Visalia Oaks in front of 2,003 at The Hangar.

"That was a much-needed game for me and the team," Robinson said. "That's the legend I've been hearing about Lancaster, that anything can happen on any given day."

Of late, Robinson has struggled at the plate and on the field, culminating in a two-error, 0-for-5 night at Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday.

"After that series in Rancho, I needed one of those big games with a few hits and some RBIs," Robinson said. "I've been struggling with people on base with the RBIs, so hopefully it will continue for me."

After finishing Sunday 4-for-5 against the Oaks, Robinson upped his average from .275 to .321 and made several great plays in the wind-blown field.

"Those were the hardest pop-ups I've ever had to catch," Robinson said. "I was falling all over the place just trying to catch a pop fly."

After an astounding 1999, Robinson was named by Baseball America as the Mariners' minor league player of the year.

Robinson hit 50 doubles with a .329 average at Class A Wisconsin in 1999.

But with 24 runs on the board to account for on Sunday, Robinson was by no means the only Lancaster player to wreck havoc on Visalia's.

Left fielder Juan Silvestre got into the act for his second homer in as many games to give him a league-leading six. Silvestre also pushed his Cal League-best RBI total to 25 in 18 games and scored five runs.

Craig Kuzmic, starting at first for Peanut Williams who is out with a sore right elbow, also continued his hot hitting with a 4-for5 day. Kuzmic's day also gave him a big push in average from .328 to .365.

He also scored five times.

On the hill for Lancaster (12-6), Chris Mears easily earned his first win of the year.

"The key for me was getting ahead and not getting the ball up," Mears said. "You just want to get as many ground ball outs as you can."

After a rocky first, in which Mears gave up two earned runs, he settled and tossed scoreless ball over the next four innings before being relieved by Neil Longo.

"Playing here in Lancaster, you know you're going to get some pretty windy days," Mears said. " You just hope they stay in the ballpark.

"You want to keep your team in the game."

After giving up the quick 2-0 lead, Mears was able to pitch more aggressively with an 18-2 lead.

"We swung the bats great today," Mears said of the Lancaster offense. "Obviously it makes my job easier to be up by that many runs.

"I threw a lot more fastballs than I throw. I went right after them and tried to get as many outs as I could."

Longo did not fare as well, giving up seven earned runs in four innings of work to finish the game.

The Oaks' Eric Thompson had his record evened at 1-1 with the loss. After giving up 14 earned runs in 1 innings, Thompson's ERA jumped from 2.25 to 8.67.

The wind blew several routine fly balls out of the park, including a three-run homer from second baseman Willie Bloomquist in the first to cap off the first of two ninerun innings.

Lancaster sent 25 batters to the plate in the first and second innings, en route to building an 18-2 lead.

Uploaded April 24, 2000