'Hawks' special season rolls on

Scott Maynard and Wilfredo Quitana hit back-to-back, run-scoring doubles in the ninth inning, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 victory over San Bernardino.

By BRETT PAPE
Valley Press Staff Writer

Trailing 3-2 in the ninth inning with two outs, Lancaster's No. 8 and 9 hitters hit back-to-back doubles to score the tying and goahead runs as Lancaster won its fourth consecutive game on the road and sixth in a row overall, 4-3 over the Stampede at The Ranch.

Scott Maynard hit his second double of the night and scored on Wilfredo Quintana's double off San Bernardino's Lance Caraccioli in the top of the ninth. Lancaster's Brandon Parker retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to record his franchise-best 21st save of the season.

For manager Mark Parent, the win was anything but a surprise.

"It doesn't shock me when it happens," Parent said of the two-out, ninth-inning rally. "Our numbers are pretty good (in the late innings).

"These guys are doing a good enough job that I expect them to put the effort up when they are down."

Parent probably helped the rally by making Maynard feel comfortable in the key situation.

"Mark gave me a sign that pretty much told me to go for it," Maynard said. "I was looking for a ball up that I could drive and that's exactly what I got. We battled all night. . . it's nice to get the win and have some momentum going into the playoffs."

With the win, Lancaster improves to 43-17 in the second half, with a 9 1/2 game lead over the Stampede in the South Division second-half standings. With their first-half championship, Lancaster has already clinched a playoff spot.

After giving up a run in the first and another in the second, Stampede starter Eric Junge limited Lancaster to four hits from the third to eighth innings. Junge struck out five and walked one.

The eight innings was the longest outing of the season for Junge. However, Junge was once again hurt by the the Stampede bullpen.

Junge (6-1) has left the game six times with the lead in his last 11 starts. He has two wins to show for it.

Junge's counterpart Scott Atchison also was strong on the mound. Atchison pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits.

Before the bottom of the seventh, Atchison was leading 2-1. However, San Bernardino scored two runs in the seventh on three hits and an error.

"Atchison did a great job of keeping us in the game," Parent said. "He went out there and threw strikes. He probably deserved better than he got."

Sandy Vasquez scored the goahead run in the seventh when Jesus Feliciano reached on an error by Peanut Williams off reliever Denny McDaniel. After McDaniel got Michael Collins on a fly out to right, Aaron Looper entered the game and got the final out by getting Jimmy Gonzalez to ground out to short.

Looper also pitched a scoreless eighth for the JetHawks to get the win and improve his record to 4-3.

Lancaster jumped to a 1-0 lead after the first inning off Junge. The run was scored when Freddie May singled in Harvey Hargrove from second.

In the second inning, the JetHawks increased their lead when Maynard doubled in Williams from second.

Williams had doubled against Junge one batter earlier. The Lancaster first baseman increased his hitting streak to six games.

Uploaded August 23, 2000