'Hawks work extra for win

Terrmel Sledge knocked in Robert Gandolfo in the bottom of the 10th inning as Lancaster won its first extra-inning game of the season.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

Lancaster had to go an extra frame for the first time all season as it topped Bakersfield 7-6 before a crowd of 1,836 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

In the bottom of the 10th, outfielder Terrmel Sledge singled in Robert Gandolfo for the win.

The win enabled the JetHawks' Craig Kuzmic to celebrate his 23rd birthday in style.

Originally given the night off by manager Mark Parent, Kuzmic came in to pinch hit for Mike Abate in the eighth inning.

Kuzmic saw one pitch from Bakersfield reliever Jason Bullard and knocked it over the right-field fence to give Lancaster a 6-5 lead.

The inning started after Harvey Hargrove led off with his third walk of the game, followed by an infield single by Scott Maynard.

With the win, and a 4-3 San Bernardino loss at Lake Elsinore, the JetHawks now have a 2 1/2 game lead in the Cal League Southern Division.

In the top of the ninth, Parent called upon closer Brandon Parker to finish off the Blaze.

Carlos Valderrama sent the first pitch thrown by Parker into the night sky to knot the game at 6-6. It was just the second blown save for Parker this season.

Cody Morrison came in to pitch a scoreless 10th to earn his second win.

It's an old baseball adage that the third out is always the toughest to get.

Lancaster starting pitcher Enmanuel Ulloa lived that nightmare Tuesday night.

Twice with two outs, Ulloa allowed Bakersfield to plate two runs as the Blaze moved on to a 5-3 lead.

In the first inning, Ulloa got Nelson Castro to fly out and Scoop McDowell to strikeout to get the game started. Ulloa then walked Brett Casper, who came into score on a single by Jeremy Luster.

Luster was plated by a throwing error from Gandolfo, giving the Blaze a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Ulloa got two more quick outs, only to walk Marco Pernalete and surrender a tworun homer to left-center by Castro for a 4-0 deficit.

Neil Longo relieved Ulloa after five innings and five runs, striking out three and walking two.

In the bottom of the third, Lancaster finally got on the board after Sledge singled in Willie Bloomquist.

In the fourth, the JetHawks scored again to cut the lead to 5-2. Bo Robinson led off the inning with a single and came around to score. The JetHawks had no shortage of base runners on Tuesday, but a lack of pop to drive them in. Through nine innings, Lancaster left 11 men on base.

In the ninth, the JetHawks got a one-out single from Robinson but failed to drive him home, sending the game into extra innings.

Maynard had a nice night behind the dish for Lancaster, gunning out three of the six runners attempting to steal.

Uploaded May 3, 2000