'Hawks blanked by Oaks

Lancaster was shut out for the first time this season as starter Josue Matos was again the victim of no run support.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

Apparently you can't teach an old 'Hawk new tricks.

Matos gave up two runs in seven innings and got no runs in support as the JetHawks dropped their second straight to Visalia, this time 6-0 at Recreation Park.

The shutout was the first time this season that Lancaster (31-24) had been blanked. The JetHawks were the last Cal League team to be shut out.

Matos (2-3) finished with two strikeouts and three walks on the night.

"It seems like every time I go out, our bats are silent," Matos said. "All I can do is go out and do what I can.

"It gets a little frustrating, but what can I do?"

Visalia (31-24) starter Scott Chiasson (3-1) threw seven innings of two-hit ball Saturday. He faced 23 batters through seven innings, two over the minimum, striking out eight, to earn his third win of the season.

Catcher Travis McClendon had the JetHawks' first hit off Chiasson, a single to left in the third.

McClendon advanced to third on an error by Oaks first baseman Rafael Pujols. The play gave Lancaster runners at the corners, McClendon and Guillermo Martinez, with no outs.

But the JetHawks came away empty handed.

Martinez was caught stealing second for the first out. Chiasson got P.J. Williams and Corey Freeman to strike out to end the inning.

"(Martinez) flat out missed a sign," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "Sometimes I wondered why I was even out there at third base tonight."

Over the past week, the top of the JetHawks' order has struggled to make consistent contact with the ball in crucial situations.

In the seventh, Juan Silvestre connected for the team's second hit, a one-out single to left.

Lancaster stranded him as Bo Robinson flew out and Craig Kuzmic went down looking to end the inning and Chiasson's outing.

"We didn't make contact with guys on base tonight," Parent said. "We can't expect to win games when we don't hit the ball."

Oaks reliever Carlos Chavez, who arrived 30 minutes before game time, came in to retire the side in the eighth before giving way to Jeff Schultz in the ninth.

Visalia took advantage of a twoout walk issued by Matos to Josh Hochgesang in the bottom of the first to score its first run.

Pujols followed Hochgesang with a single to place runners at the corners.

The pair then executed a perfect delayed-double steal that scored Hochgesang.

In the fifth, shortstop Javier Flores led off with a double to left field and came around to score on a single by second baseman Esteban German, giving Visalia a 2-0 lead.

The team scored four insurance runs off of Lancaster reliever Cody Morrison in the eighth on five singles.

Right fielder Omar Rosario hit the third single of the inning, bringing in Hochgesang for the game's third run.

Visalia catcher Aaron Nieckula followed by singling in Pujols with two outs, for a 4-0 lead. Rosario scored on a wild pitch.

Left fielder G.W. Keller finally chased Morrison with a single that scored Nieckula.

Lancaster's Neil Longo finished the inning, throwing one pitch and getting German to ground out to Robinson.

The JetHawks threatened to get on the board in the ninth after Williams doubled to lead off the top of the ninth, but failed as Silvestre and Robinson struck out to end the game and two-game series.

Uploaded June 5, 2000