Lancaster hits on 21; keeps hot streak going

Lancaster collected four hits and three walks in a five-run second-inning rally and rode a strong start by Melqui Torres for its 21st home victory in a row.

By JON MICHAELS
Valley Press Staff Writer

The Lancaster JetHawks hit blackjack Monday night, recording their franchise-best 21st consecutive home victory with a convincing 8-1 win over San Jose, doubling as the team's sixth consecutive victory and second series sweep in a row.

"It's great coming to work and being at the Hangar," Lancaster manager Mark Parent said. "It's the best facility in the Cal League and guys like coming here and working hard. It's a nice atmosphere. We have fans that come out and appreciate us when we win."

The Lancaster offense, which has averaged eight runs a game in its nearly flawless second half at home (24-1), paced the game again.

The JetHawks complemented four base hits with three walks to score five runs in the second inning. It also marked the 28th time this season that at least 10 Lancaster batters came up in an inning.

Craig Kuzmic started the frame innocently enough with a single up the middle and David Brous compounded the problem by walking Bo Robinson.

Peanut Williams drove in the inning's first run, flaring a single down the right-field line to score Kuzmic.

Scott Maynard followed with a run-scoring single to push the lead to 2-0 and Williams crossed the plate moments later on Brous' wild pitch.

One out later, walks to Antonio Perez and Harvey Hargrove loaded the bases and Terrmel Sledge capped the big inning with a tworun single to increase the lead to 5-0.

"These guys feed off each other," Parent said. "They smell a big inning and they want to outdo they guy before him. If the first guy drives in a run, the next guy wants to drive in two. It's a competition amongst themselves."

With the sizable lead in hand, Lancaster starter Melqui Torres settled in and pitched confidently.

With the exception of a pitch that Carlos Mendoza crushed onto the roof of the shed in right field for San Jose's first run, Torres rarely was in trouble.

"I was very happy with Torres' performance," Parent said. "His fastball was good and he threw his slider for strikes. When he needed a strike he went to the right pitch. He and Maynard did a good job of that tonight."

Even when it appeared Torres would falter, the Giants blundered their way out of contention.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Torres escaped the jam with only one pitch.

Torres recorded the inning's first out by picking off Mendoza at second base before Ryan Pini sent his next offering to center field. Hargrove snared the fly ball and doubled up Will Otero, who curiously wandered off first base, and the threat was over.

Torres (5-4) struck out seven batters in his seven innings of work and allowed the one run on seven hits.

Lancaster added to its lead in the sixth as Juan Silvestre singled in Hargrove for his league-leading 119th RBI. Silvestre improved his total to 120 in the eighth, singling in the game's final run.

Notes

Jeff Heaverlo, who leads Lancaster with a 12-5 record and sports a 4.11 ERA, left the Hangar after Monday's game and headed for Tacoma, Wa., home of Seattle's Class AAA Rainiers.

Heaverlo will make one start on Wednesday for Tacoma and head back to Lancaster on Thursday.

Howe Sportsdata named Terrmel Sledge the California League Batter of the Week for the period from July 31-Aug. 6.

Sledge hit .500 for the week (13 for 26) and scored 15 runs in the span. Sledge also collected seven extra-base hits, including two doubles, a triple and four home runs. He added eight runs batted in.

Sledge was the eighth-round draft pick of the Mariners in the 1999 June draft out of Cal-State Long Beach.

Juan Silvestre, who has three home runs in his last two games and is tied for the Cal League lead with 26, tied the JetHawks' single-season record set by Peanut Williams last season.

Former Lancaster pitcher Joel Pinerio will make his Major League debut tonight as the Mariners play Chicago in a doubleheader.

After starting the season 2-1 with a 4.13 ERA at Class AA New Haven, Pinerio was promoted to Class AAA Tacoma. In nine starts in Tacoma, he is 7-0 with a 2.41 ERA and opponents are hitting just .227 against him.

This will bring the total number of former JetHawks playing in the majors to 14.

Uploaded August 8, 2000