JetHawks hit on 21 with Nine showing

Lancaster pounded out 15 hits and ran its home win streak to 13 games

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

The win was the club's 13th home victory in a row and it sealed the team's best month ever with Lancaster's 19th win in July. It also improved the JetHawks' record to 20-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.

The 1998 club went 19-11 in August, a mark this year's model, at 19-3, has an opportunity to obliterate with seven games left in July.

"For us as a team, our success started on Day One," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "This team has gone out and worked hard from spring training on and it's carried over into the games, in the field and at the plate."

Also on Sunday, Juan Silvestre had a sub-par day at the plate, 1for-5, but knocked in two runs to give him 107 on the year, a new Lancaster team record for runs batted in during a season.

The previous mark of 106 was set by Jesus Marquez in 1996.

"I have a month and a half to make (the record) mine for a long time," Silvestre said. "Today, wasn't a good day for me, but I'm glad to set the record."

Silvestre was about the only 'Hawk who didn't have a good day.

Eight of the nine Lancaster (25-6, 65-36) position starters scored at least two runs and drove in at least one run.

Lancaster chased Mudville starter Jaron Seabury (8-4) after 1 innings, tagging him for 11 runs, one of which was earned.

Catcher Craig Kuzmic led the charge with six RBI as part of a 3for-4 day. In the eighth inning, Kuzmic hit a solo home run to right off of Mudville's Matt Ceriani.

Ceriani is the Nine's normal catcher, but he entered the game as Mudville's sixth pitcher.

"I'll take them wherever I can get them," Kuzmic said, "even off a position guy."

"I've been known to not hit well against position guys on the mound, so I'll take this one."

In all, the Lancaster offense batted around in both the second and third innings posting 17 runs through the first three.

"When guys start to get on, everyone in the lineup picks up on that and wants to get on," Parent said. "They can smell the big inning. One guy gets a hit and everyone else gets hungry."

Offensively, Parent couldn't have been happier. Sunday's pitching was a different story all together.

"It's one of those games you can't even enjoy if you win," Parent said. "It was especially tough when we staked (starter Enmanuel) Ulloa an 11-run lead and he can't make any adjustments.

"He's staring a win right in the face and acted like he didn't want it, so he didn't get it."

Ulloa lasted three innings Sunday after giving up six runs on eight hits. In fact the Nine outhit Lancaster 17-15 on Sunday.

Parent brought in four relievers after Ulloa, the second of which, Neil Longo (2-0) earned the win with two innings of one-run work.

"It's a chance for them to get some quality work, a shutout inning and get your ERA down," Parent said. "It gives you an opportunity to work and be aggressive as long as you're in the zone.

"It affords us to get some guys some work they wouldn't normally get."

Cody Morrison initially relieved Ulloa and gave up three runs in two innings.

Following Longo to the hill were Aaron Looper and Omar Obando, who each threw one scoreless inning of relief.

Uploaded July 24, 2000