Mavs triple their pleasure

High Desert had seven hits in a five-run fifth inning and hit two bases-loaded triples to cruise to a win over Lancaster.

And for the consecutive night, the visiting High Desert Mavericks pounded Lancaster pitchers in the fifth inning.

High Desert pounded out seven hits, including a bases loaded triple and a two-run homer, for five runs in the inning en route to a 14-4 win in front of 3,541 fans at The Hangar Friday night.

"It was terrible tonight, we gave up way too many hits," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "It was just a terrible game. That was the bottom line. Not one player stood out terribly, and not one well."

Melqui Torres was working with a two-run lead through three innings when he gave up three singles and a bases loaded triple to the Mavericks' No. 9 hitter Maximo Vizcaino.

Torres (1-3), who picked up his first win against Lake Elsinore in his last outing on April 30, gave up three consecutive singles to Jeff Brooks, Steve Neal and former Lancaster Stealth Robby Hammock to open the fifth before Brian Gordon cleared the bases with a triple in the right-center gap.

That chased Torres for reliever Kenny Rayborn. Rayborn got Ramon Gomez to ground out before giving up a two-run homer to Jhensy Sandoval to give High Desert a 9-3 lead.

Torres allowed eight runs, all earned, on 11 hits in four-plus innings. He struck out five.

"One inning he very well with guys on base," Parent said. "(In the fifth inning) he just could close the deal."

For good measure, High Desert added four runs, highlighted by a three-run homer by Steve Neal off Neil Longo in the top of the ninth.

After picking up a run in the bottom of the inning on Bo Robison's fielder's choice, Lancaster scattered three hits over the final innings.

Lancaster got to High Desert starter John Fleming in the first inning.

After Robert Gandolfo singled and California League-leading Terrmel Sledge doubled to right, Juan Silvestre added to his league leading RBI total by driving in Gandolfo and Sledge with a single to left.

Silvestre (2-for-3) increased his RBI total to 38.

Lancaster sent nine to the plate in the first inning, picking up half - four - of the team's total hits for the game.

Fleming settled down allowing just a third inning double to Willie Bloomquist before getting in trouble with two walks to open the fifth.

"We got all over that guy, but they just came out and slapped us in the face and we shut down," Parent said. "Good teams can take that slap."

Justine Kees (2-1) relieved Fleming, picking up the win on two scoreless innings. Kees allowed just one hit and struck out one.

Silvestre, who struck out to lead off the ninth inning, extended his hit streak to nine games. Bloomquist extended his hitting streak to six. Bloomquist (2-for-3) picked up his ninth multi-hit game of the season.

Lancaster finished the 12-game homestand, the longest of the season, with a 6-6 record, losing the final three before heading out on a seven-game road trip beginning today.

Uploaded May 6, 2000