'Hawks feel just fine on current trip

Juan Silvestre hit a three-run homer to help Lancaster beat San Jose.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

It'll have to wait.

San Jose used a four-run fifth inning off Lancaster starter Chris Mears en route to a 4-3 win before a crowd of 1,619 at San Jose Municipal Stadium, salvaging one win in the three-game series for the hosts.

Coming into Tuesday's start, Mears looked as though he may have finally solved his Cal League woes. To a point he has.

In 10 starts last season for Lancaster (20-13), Mears (2-1) surrendered 12 home runs in 55 innings. In seven starts this season, Mears has given up three in nearly 40 innings, cutting his average by close to two-thirds.

But on Tuesday, despite not giving up a long ball, Mears couldn't escape, allowing 10 hits in five innings of work.

"I just didn't pitch well," Mears said. "I left the ball up and you have to keep the ball down to be successful.

"I think from last year to now, I'm better at keeping the ball down, but today I couldn't keep it low and out of the (strike) zone."

In the fifth, Mears surrendered a one-out double to Clay Greene, walked Tony Torcato and plunked John Summers to load the bases.

Sammy Serrano, Carlos Mendoza and Ryan Pini all came through with run-scoring singles, plating all four runs the Giants (13-20) would need.

"They had a couple key hits in key situations," Mears said. "That's what happens when you make bad pitches."

In the first four innings of the game, Mears allowed six hits. He persevered, though, and did not allow a run to score in that span.

"If we could have played four innings, he would have had a great outing," Lancaster pitching coach Scott Budner said. "He just lost his release point there in the fifth and didn't adjust.

"He just ran into a funk."

The Lancaster offense found that same funk against left-hander Joe Horgan.

Horgan cruised through seven innings allowing one run on four hits and baffled JetHawks batters all afternoon.

"I don't know what it is with us and lefties," manager Mark Parent said. "If I knew, I'd fix it."

Parent doesn't have much time to solve it as the JetHawks face Mudville's left-handed ace, James Johnson, tonight.

Johnson topped the JetHawks earlier in the season, giving up one run. His 2-3 record is deceiving as he enters the game with the second-best ERA in the league at 2.12.

Tuesday was the second time this season that Mears and Horgan had dueled on the hill. On April 18 at the Hangar, Horgan was a 3-0 winner while Mears received a nodecision. Julio Ayala received the loss in that one.

Parent called in Aaron Looper to relieve Mears on Tuesday, and the Oklahoma native pitched admirably.

In three innings, Looper allowed four balls to leave the infield, while holding the Giants scoreless the rest of the game.

"Loop did a great job for us again," Budner said. "He's been nothing but quality his last few trips out of the pen."

The sputtering Lancaster offense picked up some help from the San Jose defense in the third inning.

Back-to-back errors from third baseman Torcato and first baseman Summers led to Lancaster's first run of the game and a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the ninth, San Jose shortstop Carlos Mendoza misplayed a Harvey Hargrove grounder that scored Guillermo Martinez and drew the JetHawks within one at 4-3.

Uploaded May 10, 2000