Silvestre picks up where he left off

Juan Silvestre returned from the disabled list and helped lead Lancaster past High Desert.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

Back in the lineup on Thursday, it took four at-bats for Silvestre to pick up where he left off, knocking a three-run homer to left in the seventh off the first pitch High Desert reliever Justin Kees threw.

The home run powered Lancaster to a 6-3 win over the Mavericks before an announced crowd of 1,888 at Mavericks Stadium.

The win snapped the JetHawks' (31-22) three-game losing skid and keeps them atop the Cal League South Division standings as San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga went into extra innings on Thursday.

"It's very nice to have Juan back in the lineup," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "He jumped in there and it was like he never left."

The home run was Silvestre's 11th, tops in the league, boosted his RBI total to 52, also tops in the league, and pushed his batting average to .368, tops in the league.

"I'm happy to be back," Silvestre said. "I want to do something, they've been hitting good but (haven't had) good luck.

Mavericks reliever Derek Forbes, making his High Desert debut, set up the inning by walking Scott Maynard, who scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3-3, Corey Freeman and intentionally walking Terrmel Sledge.

The JetHawks took an early 2-0 lead against High Desert only to squander it in the sixth inning.

Starter Jeff Heaverlo looked as solid as he had in a month, throwing 5 innings, allowing one run and striking out five.

"Maybe it doesn't go under my name, but as a team we get the (win) under the JetHawks' name," Heaverlo said. "I felt in control of myself and got ahead of guys. It was a positive outing for me."

He was pulled in the sixth after getting two outs, but coughed up a single to Jeff Brooks.

"I pulled him when I did so he could leave with a positive outing," Parent said.

Aaron Looper got the call to relieve Heaverlo and gave up a tworun double to Josh Goldfield, his first hit as a Maverick, to tie the game at 2-2. Francisco Belliard followed with a grounder that found its way between Freeman's legs at short, scoring Goldfield and taking Heaverlo out of the decision.

Looper finally struck out Luis Terrero to end the inning and gave way to Allan Simpson in the seventh.

Simpson retired the side in both the seventh and eighth innings, striking out the side in the eighth.

Parent called upon Brandon Parker to close out the game in the ninth.

Parker looked rusty, giving up a run-scoring double to Jeff Powers to draw High Desert to within two at 6-4, but struck out Steve Neal looking, to earn his league-leading 14th save of the year.

"Parker and Simpson were able to come in and slam the door on them," Parent said. "They came in and let us hold onto the lead."

In the fourth, Lancaster opened the game's scoring after a pitch hit Sledge and back-to-back singles from Silvestre and Bo Robinson loaded the bases. Craig Kuzmic grounded into a double play that scored Sledge on the play.

Lancaster added to its lead in the sixth when a triple from Kuzmic scored Robinson, who drew a two-out walk, to go up 2-0.

Uploaded June 2, 2000