JetHawks continue to struggle in 12-3 loss

Modesto pounded out 18 hits and Lancaster made four errors and suffered its sixth loss in seven games.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

The A's pounded out 18 hits and used four Lancaster errors to ease their way to a 12-3 win before a season-high crowd of 5,023 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

With the loss, Lancaster failed to capitalize on San Bernardino's 5-4 loss at Rancho Cucamonga, and remain one game back of the Stampede.

"Today was just disgusting," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "On the hill, defensively, offensively it was terrible.

"And tonight it was effort, that's what is so embarrassing about it."

Parent pulled the team's top hitter, Terrmel Sledge, in the fourth inning after he failed to run out a play that would have scored a crucial run for Lancaster.

On the play, Sledge hit a dribbler down the third base line that appeared to head foul. P.J. Williams broke for home from third on contact only to have Sledge watch the ball stay fair and get thrown out at first.

Had Williams scored, the game would have been tied at 4-4.

"I don't have a problem with the physical mistakes it's the mental that kills me," Parent said. "I wish that I had nine other guys to put out there, except for (catcher Scott) Maynard. He was busting his (tail) out there. He was the only one that showed any emotion."

Lancaster starter Scott Atchison struggled again on the mound to find any semblance of rhythm.

In 4 innings, Atchison (0-2) gave up five runs, four earned, to take his second loss of the year.

But not getting a solid performance from his starter was only part of the story for Parent.

"I actually had to get on people about running to their positions," Parent said. "Early in the season we would take two steps forward and one step back. Now we're taking two steps back and one step sideways. It's unbelievable."

Atchison's opposite number, Justin Lehr (8-1), gave up three runs, all earned, in six innings of work for his eighth win of the season.

"We could have had more, but that's only because we were down so much early and he came after us," Parent said. "This is a team that we had all the success in the world when we played them up there. We swept them.

"I don't know, maybe we were too confident."

The JetHawks swept Modesto in their second series of the season back on April 9-11, 4-0, 10-6 and 3-2.

"Maybe we expected them to go out and lay down for us," Parent said. "It looks like they're going to walk all over us like we're nothing.

"I haven't seen any positive things out of this team in the last seven games."

After feeling that Saturday's 6-0 loss at Visalia was, "the low point in the season," Parent had to rethink that after Sunday.

"This is now the low point in the season," Parent said. "This game matched anything (Saturday) had to offer and last night stunk."

Offensively for Lancaster, Williams had the only multiple-hit game for the JetHawks, finishing 3-for-5 but did not score a run.

On the flip side, Modesto had seven players record two or more hits, led by 3-for-6 nights by Caonabe Cosme and Brian Luderer.
Lancaster leads series 3-1

Mario Ramos (2-5) vs. Enmanuel Ulloa (3-2)

Uploaded June 5, 2000