Off day isn't big help to JetHawks

Lancaster fell out of first place for the first time this season with a loss to Rancho Cucamonga.

By ED Harbour
Valley Press Staff Writer

It didn't happen.

Lancaster took a 12-3 loss at the hands of the Rancho Cucamonga, as the Quakes took a seriesopening win in front of 1,905 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium Thursday night.

The loss, coupled with an 8-5 San Bernardino win at High Desert, drops Lancaster (12-9) out of first place in the Southern Division. The JetHawks, out of first for the first time all year, have given up 38 runs in their last four games.

Quakes starter, hard throwing Ben Howard, baffled the JetHawks. Howard worked six innings, giving up no runs, striking out six and walking none.

The right-hander retired the side in order in three innings and only faced four batters in the other three to even his record at 2-2.

"You can work with them all you want," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said of his team's play, "but I guess that's why it's A ball. Some of them will never get out of here, either."

The JetHawks finally got on the board in the seventh, when a leadoff walk by Juan Silvestre and a double from Peanut Williams gave Lancaster runners at second and third with no outs.

Both men scored on RBI groundouts from Craig Kuzmic and Bo Robinson.

"(Howard) was throwing a lot of high fastballs," hitting coach Dana Williams said. "As hitters, it's hard to lay off those high ones.

"Like Mark said, that's why this is A ball."

Lancaster starter Enmanuel Ulloa (1-1) got his third shot at Rancho Cucamonga (10-11) in two weeks on Thursday.

The control pitcher issued four walks in five innings, allowing six runs - four earned - in getting the loss.

The Quakes got to Ulloa in the fifth, opening the games' scoring with a pair of runs.

Outfielder Al Benjamin led the inning off for Rancho with a single and was sent to third on a double from the Quakes' ninth hitter, Darren Bush.

Benjamin scored on a RBI groundout from Josh Loggins. Bush then scored on a passed ball by catcher Scott Maynard.

In the sixth, Ulloa yielded a leadoff walk to Graham Koonce and a single to Shane Hooper. After Peanut Williams committed his first of two errors, allowing Sean Campbell to load the bases, Ulloa plunked Cristian Berroa to bring in the game's third run.

After Berroa was hit, Parent brought in reliever Neil Longo. Longo fared no better, giving up two runs without retiring a batter in the sixth.

Aaron Looper was able to finish the inning for Lancaster on the hill, giving up two hits without a run to his credit.

Looper stayed in to retire the side in the seventh, giving way to Denny McDaniel in the eighth.

McDaniel wavered in the eighth as the Quakes added four more runs to their total, one of which was earned. Cody Morrison finished the game, retiring the side in the ninth.

"We've got 13 pitchers," Parent said. "They're actually making it hard on me because so many of them are doing so bad."

The JetHawks got on the board again to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Silvestre started the inning with a double off the center-field wall. Three batters later, Robinson singled to left for the final score.

Uploaded April 28, 2000