'Hawks continue to excel

Craig Kuzmer hit his third homer in the last two games as Lancaster won its eighth consecutive.

It wasn't quite that bad for High Desert on Friday, but it still was on the losing end of an 11-4 JetHawks victory before a crowd of 2,008 at Mavericks Stadium.

The win pushed Lancaster 20 games above .500 for the first time in franchise history.

Lancaster had previously beaten the Mavericks by scores of 23-5, 11-8 and 14-5 in the second half.

"I never feel sorry for another team," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "Just as soon as you feel sorry for them, they turn around and bite you in the butt. This team gave us problems early on, we've been fortunate this past week."

The JetHawks (53-33, 13-3) had their requisite big inning in the second off High Desert (27-59, 4-12) starter Brian Scott (1-2), posting four runs in the frame. Both of Scott's losses have come against Lancaster this season.

After catcher Craig Kuzmic drew a one-out walk, Bo Robinson and Peanut Williams followed with back-to-back singles with Williams' hit scoring Kuzmic.

Robinson scored on a double by Freddie May, Peanut Williams came home on a groundout by P.J. Williams and May was plated by Antonio Perez's single to left.

Kuzmic blasted the eventual game-winner to lead off the fifth with a solo homer to left - his third in two games - as the JetHawks took a 5-2 lead.

"I'm really feeling it now from the left side," the switch-hitting Kuzmic said after the game. "I got an (at-bat) from both sides and had a couple of walks, which is good for me. I felt good on both sides."

In the seventh, the JetHawks tacked on three more runs as Willie Bloomquist laced a two-run single, followed by Terrmel Sledge's run-scoring double.

Bloomquist was pulled from the game after the double with what was described as a sprain to his ankle.

Lancaster starter Enmanuel Ulloa (6-3) was solid for most of his outing. He ran into trouble in the third inning when he gave up two runs on a pair of doubles and then gave up two more runs in the sixth.

"His fastball had a lot of movement," Kuzmic said. "He got behind a few guys but really bounced back to stay in the game. He had the hitters off balance for most of the game."

Ulloa looked as though he was headed for early trouble after issuing a one-out walk to infielder Jeff Powers.

But Kuzmic cut Powers down at second on an apparent botched hit-and-run with left fielder Brian Gordon at the plate for the second out.

Gordon closed out the inning by striking out.

In the sixth, an error by Peanut Williams led to a two-run double by catcher Brad Cresse.

In his 13 games in the Cal League, Cresse, the Diamondbacks fifth-round pick this season, has driven in 15 runs.

"I wasn't sure how he would adjust to the wood bat," said his father, longtime Dodger bullpen coach Mark Cresse. "But he's had some experience with it and seems to be doing well."

Neil Longo relieved Ulloa to start the seventh and went the final three innings to earn his first save of the year.

Longo gave up just one hit in the three innings, retiring the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings.

Uploaded July 8, 2000