Kuzmic's clutch hit lifts JetHawks

Craig Kuzmic hit a home run in the eighth to tie the game and Wilfredo Quintana singled home the go-ahead run to give Lancaster the victory.

By CHAD HOLCOMB
Valley Press Staff Writer

LANCASTER - When Lancaster could have picked up some easy runs Thursday night against San Bernardino, they didn't.

Lancaster squandered three simple opportunities to score in the span of four innings, but Craig Kuzmic wouldn't allow it to be four.

Kuzmic hit a two-out, three-run homer and Wilfredo Quintana singled in the winning run as the JetHawks beat the Stampede 5-4.

San Bernardino has now lost eight of nine games played in Lancaster this season.

Stampede reliever Wade Parrish (2-3) gave up one-out walks to Robert Gandolfo and Terrmel Sledge in the eighth. After striking out Juan Silvestre, Kuzmic hit his 17th homer of the season to left to tie the game 4-4.

Peanut Williams then hit a fly to right field that was dropped by Lamont Matthews, putting Williams on second before Quintana's RBI single.

"That was a very big hit," manager Mark Parent said of Quintana's game winning hit. "Today he used a more natural swing and hit it up the middle.

"That very last inning we got guys on and got the hits, but it doesn't let us forget the other times. If we don't come back, we don't deserve to win."

San Bernardino had busted open a 1-1 game with three runs in top of the eighth inning off Lancaster reliever Caleb Balbuena.

Balbuena allowed the runs on two walks and two hits, including a two-run triple by Pete Paciorek. Darron Ingram followed with an RBI single for a 4-1 lead.

Lancaster, which opened the scoring with three consecutive singles in the first inning, left opportunities slip by in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Kuzmic had a leadoff triple in the fourth, but was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Freddy May's grounder to third.

Sledge opened the sixth inning with a single and took second on an error by Ingram in left. Sledge was moved to third after tagging on a Silvestre fly to center. Kuzmic and Peanut Williams then struck out.

Quintana, pinch-hitting for May in the seventh, tripled to lead off. Quintana was then caught breaking home on an apparent suicide squeeze and put out 2-5-1.

"We really needed to be better at our situational hitting," Parent said. "We've been good at that and it's showed in our record. But that can't happen, we almost lost. It was nice to win."

Cody Morrison (8-5) pitched of an inning to pick up the win and Brandon Parker retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his 19th save.

But the real duel on the night was between starting pitchers Enmanuel Ulloa for Lancaster and the Stampede's Carlos Garcia.

Ulloa was coming off a great outing - despite the loss - against Modesto on July 29. In that game, Ulloa allowed just one run and struck out nine.

Ulloa came out just as solid Thursday night against San Bernardino. Ulloa pitched seven innings, allowing one run on three hits, two walks and two hit batters. He also struck out six.

Ulloa's lone mistake was a fastball up to David Ross in the fourth. Ross hit his third home run of the season to tie the game 1-1.

Ulloa would settle down, retiring the next seven before two walks and a strikeout to end his outing in the seventh.

Garcia came in with a league-high 13 wins and settled down after giving up three hits in the first inning.

Garcia, who did allow a Lancaster baserunner each inning, gave up the one run on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Sledge finished the night 2-for-2 with two singles and two walks, while Silvestre (1-for-4) drove in his 114th run in the first.

Lancaster is looking for its second sweep of San Bernardino tonight as the JetHawks play the series finale and third game in an 11-game homestand.

Uploaded August 4, 2000