Clinch no cinch

'Hawks clinch 2nd-half title when Stampede loses

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

The JetHawks certainly didn't take care of business against the division's last-place team, falling 6-1 to High Desert at Mavericks Stadium before a crowd of 2,007, snapping Lancaster's seven-game winning streak.

Second-place San Bernardino and Mudville were tied 2-2 in the 10th inning, leaving Lancaster's fate still in question with a 10game lead.

"I think it was the kind of thing where the guys thought they could go out and have the other team roll over," Lancaster skipper Mark Parent said. "You know, stand up at the plate and score runs automatically.

"(High Desert) may have the worst record in the division but they still have pride. They're not going to roll over for anybody."

Lancaster's (43-18, 83-48) trouble began with starter Enmanuel Ulloa (9-5), who despite no-hitting the Mavericks for three innings, fell apart to pick up his fifth loss.

Ulloa lasted six innings, giving up four runs on three hits with a pair of walks.

"He had no intensity out there," pitching coach Scott Budner said. "I'm seeing complacency and I'm not seeing a guy with any emotion or competitive spirit."

His trouble started after Ulloa got a pair of quick outs to start the fourth, but surrendered a triple to Brian Gordon that left fielder sent into the right field corner. Gordon could possibly have had only a double on the hit, but Lancaster right fielder Wilfredo Quintana got caught on the chain link fence in foul territory.

Ulloa followed the triple by walking Jamie Sykes to place runners at the corners.

First baseman Jeff Brooks scratched his way into the batter's box and crushed a three-run home run over the upper row of billboards to stake the Mavericks to a 3-1 lead.

"Manny's like a see-saw with concentration level," Budner said. "For a couple of hitters he'll be outstanding and then he'll walk a couple of guys and give up a hit. It's concentration level and intensity or a lack of. It's happening too much and the results aren't getting it done for him."

To lead off the fifth, Ulloa was tagged again, this time by designated hitter Yuri Sanchez for a 4-1 lead.

Ulloa has struggled this season against the Mavericks, despite a 2-1 record against them. High Desert has touched Ulloa for a 7.76 ERA in five games.

On the flip side, the Lancaster offense sputtered underneath the control of High Desert starter Hatuey Mendoza.

For Mendoza (7-12) it was quite a change from his previous five turns against the JetHawks, who entering Thursday's game had a 1-2 mark with 9.36 ERA.

In his only other win, Mendoza gave up eight runs in five innings of work as part of an 11-8 High Desert win on May 4.

The tepid Lancaster offense obliged to help turn Mendoza around on Thursday, though, coming up with five hits and one unearned run in the 7 innings Mendoza threw and grounding into three double plays with him on the hill.

"Our guys didn't show any heart on the mound or at the plate," Parent said. "I'm not happy with the performance. Anybody could have beat us today."

Javier Lopez got the final five outs for High Desert without allowing a hit.

Uploaded August 25, 2000