JetHawks knock off Blaze in matinee

Lancaster was able to rebound from an early deficit to beat Bakersfield during a rare Monday afternoon game.

Their game with the Bakersfield Blaze was put on hold for 35 minutes after a stadium employee fell off of the third-base dugout, approximately eight to 10 feet to a concrete enclave, in the middle of the third inning.

The female employee was airlifted to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. Her condition was unknown at the end of the game.

"Our guys collectively said a prayer for the young lady," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "She's a member of the JetHawks' organization and we said a prayer and we had to go out and work, and we did.

"Hopefully she's doing all right."

Lancaster was able to rebound from both the accident and a 3-1 deficit to beat the Blaze 7-3, led by a two-run homer from Juan Silvestre, before an afternoon crowd of 2,855 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

The win gives Lancaster a two-game lead over San Bernardino heading into the Stampede's game at Lake Elsinore on Monday night.

JetHawks (16-9) starter Josue Matos looked strong in his fifth outing but finished out of the decision.

Matos left the game with eight strikeouts in 6 innings, walking two and scattering four hits.

"Matos competed real well for us," Lancaster pitching coach Scott Budner said. "It was real positive for him, he had a real good outing and kept us in the game."

In the fifth, Matos ran into the only trouble he faced all game.

After allowing a walk to Jeremy Luster, Matos was able to get two quick fly-outs from Jake Messner and Carlos Valderrama.

It appeared as though Matos had gotten Guillermo Rodriguez to also fly out for the third out. But Matos was called for a balk on the pitch, moving Luster to second and giving Rodriguez another go.

Matos walked Rodriguez and followed that by giving up back-to-back doubles to Julien Cordido and Ryan Luther, giving the Blaze (13-11) a 3-1 lead.

"I don't think (the balks) really got to him," Budner said. "He's a tough competitor."

In the seventh, Aaron Looper relieved Matos.

With a man on third and one out, Looper got Rodriguez to strike out and Cordido to ground out to end the inning.

"Loop's a ground-ball, fly-out pitcher," Parent said. "He's what we needed there."

After looking tepid in his first two outings, Looper has been nothing but strong in his last few trips to the hill. On Monday,he upped his record to 2-1.

"Looper did a great job for us," Budner said. "His last three or four outings have been real solid."

On the offensive side of the ball, Willie Bloomquist was again the offensive spark for the JetHawks.

His leadoff double in the sixth set up Silvestre's game-tying home run. The shot was Silvestre's league-high seventh of the year.

Bloomquist also knocked in a pair of runs in the seventh with a triple to right-center.

Bo Robinson finished with a pair of doubles to up his season total to eight.

A big part of Monday's crowd were 1,500 Valley fifth-graders in attendance for JetHawks Drug and Alcohol Awareness Day.

Parent and first baseman Peanut Williams spoke to the crowd about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Uploaded May 2, 2000