Hawks make it 11 in a row

Scott Atchison pitched a complete game to lead Lancaster past Lake Elsinore for the JetHawks franchise-best 11-game winning streak.

Less than two hours (1:59 to be exact) after the opening pitch, Atchison left the mound a complete-game, 9-1 winner over Lake Elsinore before a crowd of 1,826 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

The win pushes the JetHawks' (16-3, 56-33) franchise-best winning streak to 11 games, and was also the quickest nine-inning game in team history by 10 minutes.

"Atch threw a hell of a game in less than two hours," JetHawks manager Mark Parent said of the team's first complete game this season. "He was aggressive and wasn't afraid to let them hit the ball.

"He was great tonight, I hope the other pitchers were watching him work out there."

After a brief fill-in role at Class AAA Tacoma, Atchison struggled in his first few starts at Lancaster but has bounced back to win three of his last four starts for the JetHawks.

"Tonight was one of those nights where everything went my way," Atchison said. "When they hit the ball it went right to the defense and with a big lead I made them hit the ball and put it into play."

Pitching coach Scott Budner was equally impressed with Atchison's outing and considered it one of the top starts by a JetHawk hurler this season.

"That was wonderful, one of the best of the year," Budner said. "His last three or four outings he's been solid. Tonight his location was on, he threw first-pitch strikes, he made it looked kind of easy. He stayed focused like it was a 1-1 game.

"He was just on. Sometimes when you go out there, it just happens. It's too bad it doesn't happen more for everyone. Sometimes you go out there and can't do anything right and sometimes you have games like that."

In going the distance Monday, Atchison (3-3) scattered six hits with one earned run, striking out six and did not walk a batter.

Atchison rarely fell behind in the count, throwing 22 of 34 first pitch strikes, and with the low pitch count was able to go the full nine innings.

"Budner would say a few things between innings but other than that they let me go," Atchison said. "They asked me how I felt after the eighth, I said I felt good and they let me finish.

"That's what it's all about, throwing well, finishing what you started and letting the defense make great plays behind you."

"You want to reward a guy when he pitches that well," Parent said. "Tonight it worked out that we were able to let him finish the game."

Atchison got plenty of offensive help on the night, not surprisingly from left fielder Juan Silvestre.

Silvestre knocked in Antonio Perez in the first to allow Lancaster to jump out to a 1-0 lead after one.

In the second inning, Silvestre struck again, this time with a bases-loaded double that scored three and capped off a six-run inning for the JetHawks and gave Silvestre 100 RBI in the year.

Silvestre is the first player in North American baseball this season to reach the 100 RBI plateau.

"Tonight was Atchison and Silvestre's night," Parent said. "Silvestre's accomplishments for the year and Atchison's recent outings were the stars tonight.

"It's phenomenal, it's amazing what Silvestre's doing out there. He knows how to make adjustments at the plate and with that swing he could have 150 RBI before the end of the year. In 140game season, that's just incredible."

Silvestre's season actually projects out to 156 RBI, well short of 172 Bud Heslet hit in 1956 for Visalia but amazing nonetheless and easily a franchise record. Jesus Marquez currently has the club record with 106 in 1996.

"It's been a great year for me," Silvestre said after the game. "That's what everyone wants to get to, 100 RBI.

"I'm not just hitting home runs, I can get the base hit too. I've been working on bringing in the run with base hit (not just being) a power hitter."

With two stars to stand behind the remainder of the squad was equally ecstatic about the night.

"That is fun baseball right there," third baseman Bo Robinson said. "With your pitcher out there, keeping everyone on their toes, it doesn't get more fun than that.

"We put it together in the field at the plate and pitching. That's how we know we can play every night and why we can win any given game. We've got a good thing going, we feel like we have the best team in the league and should win every time out." Catcher Scott Maynard strung together another great day offensively and defensively with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, while throwing out 2-of-3 baserunners behind the dish.

Uploaded July 11, 2000