JetHawks strike out in San Berdoo

Lancaster batters struck out 16 times in a frustrating night against the Stampede.

By JON MICHAELS
Valley Press Staff Writer

After all, the JetHawks had lost eight consecutive games on the road and all five visits to the Ranch this season.

Though it was far from a mismatch, Lancaster's offense struggled again, falling 4-1 to the Stampede in front of 1,410 fans, most notable of which was former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.

Lasorda, now a Dodgers senior vice president, was scouting the club's single-A San Bernardino farm club.

To make matters worse, Stampede pitchers struck out a seasonhigh 16 Lancaster batters in the game, including four strikeouts by Freddy May, who began the season on the Stampede roster.

The loss denied Lancaster (76-47) in its attempt to set a new franchise mark for wins in a season. The JetHawks have 17 games remaining to break the record.

San Bernardino (69-53) starter Apostal Garcia, who did not figure in the decision, controlled the Lancaster offense in his short stint.

Garcia allowed one run on six hits, but bailed himself out of trouble to leave with a 1-1 tie in the fifth.

Lancaster wasted a golden opportunity in the third when Scott Maynard and Harvey Hargrove led off the inning with singles.

Garcia escaped the jam, getting Antonio Perez to line out to second baseman Jimmy Gonzales for the elusive first out.

Lancaster newcomer Jaime Bubela, who struck out in his first at-bat of the season for the JetHawks in the first inning, grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

While the offense struggled, Lancaster starter Chris Mears was impressive.

Through the first four innings, Mears gave up four hits, each coming with two outs. Unfortunately for Mears, the Stampede strung together a single from Jesus Feliciano and an RBI double by John Hernandez to take a 1-0 lead.

Mears went 6 1/3 innings, striking out five batters, but was on the wrong end of a 2-1 score.

The JetHawks finally solved Garcia in the fifth inning, starting innocently enough with Maynard's second single of the game. Perez scored Maynard, crushing the ball to right-center field for a standup triple.

With Perez at third and two outs, San Bernardino manager Dino Ebel turned to left-handed reliever Wade Parrish, who struck out Bubela and Craig Kuzmic to end the inning.

Parrish struck out the next two batters, as well, giving him four straight in the game.

The JetHawks squandered another great chance in the seventh.

Maynard led off the inning with his third hit of the game, setting the table for Perez. The Lancaster shortstop doubled into the rightfield corner, but Maynard, unsure whether outfielder Lamont Mathews would come up with it, held up.

The hit was Perez's 46th extrabase hit in 81 games this season.

Then Bubela struck out for the third time and Kuzmic followed with another strikeout, marking the eighth consecutive strikeout for the Stampede.

Mears' evening ended in the seventh after the Stampede took a 2-1 lead on Joe Thurston's RBI single.

The Stampede added two additional runs in the eighth as Feliciano knocked in Darron Ingram. It was Feliciano's fourth hit of the game.

Uploaded August 17, 2000