Maynard helps rally JetHawks to victory

Scott Maynard hit a two-run homer and two run-scoring doubles to lead Lancaster past San Bernardino.

By BRETT PAPE
Valley Press Staff Writer

Atchison, who was activated on the JetHawks' roster Thursday morning, struggled in his first outing in Lancaster by giving up six runs on eight hits in 3 innings of work.

However, his battery-mate, Scott Maynard, made sure the poor performance didn't add up to a loss.

Maynard had a had a two-run homer and a pair of run-scoring doubles as the JetHawks rallied from five-run deficit to beat San Bernardino 9-7 Thursday night in front 1,674 fans at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

With the win, Lancaster improved to 26-15 on the season and moved five games in front of Rancho Cucamonga in the California League South Division. The Quakes fell 6-3 to San Jose on Thursday.

The five-run rally was one that surprised Lancaster JetHawks manager Mark Parent.

"I don't know how we did it," Parent said. "I thought we were going to give up 12 or 13 runs. Then I looked up and we were ahead."

Trailing 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Maynard got the rally started when he hit a Rick Roberts' pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run homer to cut the Stampede lead to 6-3. Sheldon Fuses led the fourth off with a single and scored on Maynard's third home run of the season.

The Stampede notched a run in the top of the sixth inning when Michial Collins scored on Kenny Rayborn's wild pitch. It was the only run allowed by Rayborn in 3 innings of work.

Rayborn improved to 4-0 on the season with the win. He collected three strikeouts while giving up three hits.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the JetHawks scored three runs with a two-out rally.

Freddy May started the rally with a single to left and scored on Maynard's double to left. Guillermo Martinez then doubled to bring Maynard home from second.

Martinez later scored on Willie Bloomquist's third single of the night to pull Lancaster within one at 7-6.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Lancaster's bottom of the lineup once again did in the Stampede.

May, Maynard, and Martinez all had RBI hits in the inning. The bottom three hitters combined to go 7-for-11 with eight runs batted in.

"All of us have to step it up with (Juan) Silvestre out," Maynard said. "If the bottom of the lineup does it while Juan is out, that will be great."

Silvestre pulled his left hamstring on Wednesday in San Bernardino and is expected to be out two weeks.

Brandon Parker picked up his league-leading 11th save of the season by throwing a scoreless ninth inning. Parker did give up a single and a walk in the inning.

Atchison struggled coming out of the chute, giving up three runs in the first inning.

Joe Thurston started things off by earning a walk, and moved to third on Jimmy Gonzalez's single to right. The Stampede's No. 3 hitter, Pete Paciorek, plated Thurston when he doubled to left.

Darron Ingram added an RBI single and Lamont Matthews drove in the inning's other run when he flew out to left to score Paciorek. Atchison finally got out of the inning when he struck out Max Mejia.

Atchison was scheduled to start the season with the JetHawks, but an elbow injury at the end of spring training kept the righthander in Peoria, Ariz., for extended work.

Uploaded May 19, 2000