JetHawks' Silvestre injured in 6-2 defeat

By JON MICHAELS
Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor

After Lancaster starter Josue Matos retired the first 14 batters in order, including nine by strikeout, the floodgates opened.

Holding a 2-0 lead, Matos gave up his first hit of the game, a long double by Sandy Vasquez. Six of the next eight batters also reached base as San Bernardino ended Lancaster's four-game win streak with a 6-2 win at the Ranch.

"He did a hell of a job," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "Then we missed a big bunt sign, we miss a big hit and run. I guess we needed two days off."

It also snapped the JetHawks' 10-game win streak against San Bernardino. But the loss paled in comparison to a costly injury in the first inning.

In a season marred with injuries to several key players, Lancaster's most productive hitter, Juan Silvestre, became the latest casualty. The outfielder pulled his left hamstring and was removed from the game after running out an infield single.

Silvestre is expected to go on the disabled list this morning.

"The early word is that it's going to be two weeks at the earliest for Juan," Parent said. "It's near the tendon area. You'd rather have it in the belly area, the middle. It huts us as a team to lose a guy with 50 RBI."

Lancaster jumped on Lance Caraccioli early. Corey Freeman led off the game with a drive to left field that outfielder Sandy Vasquez misplayed into a three-base error.

One out later, Terrmel Sledge singled to center field to plate Freeman and give Lancaster a 1-0 lead.

Silvestre followed with an infield hit that squirted off his bat toward third base.

Unfortunately, Silvestre pulled up lame 50 feet up the base path before managing to struggle to first base safely.

Silvestre's loss would be devastating for Lancaster. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound power hitter leads all of the minor leagues with 49 RBI to go along with his Cal League-leading 10 home runs and .361 average.

What makes the injury even more deadly for the JetHawks is the company Silvestre will have on the Lancaster bench.

Lancaster already is without the services of Peanut Williams and Michael Abate, who each had surgery on Monday. P.J. Williams and Antonio Perez are also injured.

After Silvestre was replaced by pinch runner Freddie May, Bo Robinson ripped a ball up the middle that scored Sledge for a 2-0 Lancaster advantage.

But Lancaster only managed one hit after the first inning, a fifth-inning single by Willie Bloomquist.

Matos was perfect through the first 4 innings. The right-hander struck out nine of the first 14 batters while not yielding a hit until Vasquez's double off the left-field wall with two outs in the fifth inning.

Max Mejia followed with a single through the hole between first and second to score Vasquez and cut Lancaster's lead to 2-1.

Matos seemed to lose his stuff after that. He gave up a leadoff single to John Hernandez. Two outs later, Jimmy Gonzales doubled off the center-field wall, plating Hernandez and knotting the game at two runs apiece.

"Matos was outstanding," JetHawks pitching coach Scott Budner said. "It was another great, quality outing and that's what you look like from your starters. He was clean."

Gonzales' double ended Matos' night. Denny McDaniel came in and looked shaky, sending a wild pitch past Lancaster catcher Travis McClendon.

Darron Ingrim greeted McDaniel with a base hit that brought home Gonzales. Lamont Mathews followed with a two-run double over May's head in left to push the Stampede's lead to 5-2.

Uploaded May 18, 2000