'Hawks' Mears strong in victory

Chris Mears pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball as Lancaster took a 4-0 lead into the ninth inning at Mavericks Stadium.

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

The two squared off Saturday night at Mavericks Stadium with Mears getting the better of the match as the JetHawks took a 6-0 win before a crowd of 4,370 in what started as a classic pitchers' duel.

For five innings, neither team could muster any offense and the score remained 0-0.

Mears (11-8) looked in control as he breezed through the Mavericks for those five innings. Jensen looked equally dominant, stifling the Lancaster bats until the sixth inning.

Struggling utility man Craig Kuzmic came to the plate with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the sixth.

Jensen (6-11) hit Kuzmic with a pitch, putting him on base with the Cal League's RBI leader Juan Silvestre at the plate. Silvestre changed the complexion of the game with one swing, sending an outside fastball over the right-center field fence for his 28th home run and a 2-0 Lancaster lead.

It was Silvestre's first home run in 15 games and first RBI in seven.

"I saw the ball out there and went with it," Silvestre said. "I have to throw the bat out there with those outside pitches. I don't want to think drive the ball, I just want to hit it."

In his four previous starts against Lancaster, Jensen went 1-1 with an 8.24 ERA and lost for the second time against Lancaster.

Evan Fahrner started the eighth in relief of Jensen. The first batter Fahrner faced, shortstop Antonio Perez, blasted a home run to right field.

After getting Freddie May on a long flyout to left, Fahrner served up another home run, this time by Kuzmic.

"The guys decided to swing the bats later on," manager Mark Parent said. "That really helped us out even though we got some solid pitching."

For Perez, it was his 16th homer and fourth off of Maverick pitching this year. Kuzmic's blast gave him 19 on the year and 96 RBI, both career highs and was also his fourth against High Desert. Kuzmic had been in a 4-for-46 slump over the past 10 games.

"I'm bagging it," Kuzmic said of the slump. "I say that every night but tonight I think it's done."

Mears lasted 5 1/3 innings before being relieved by Cody Morrison. Morrison notched the final two outs of the inning and the first to open the seventh.

Allan Simpson followed Morrison to the hill and quickly ran into trouble. Simpson walked the first batter he faced, Yuri Sanchez, and after getting Francisco Belliard to fly out, gave up a double to Jon Glassey to place runners at third and second.

Simpson, though, got leadoff man Luis Santos to also fly out and end the inning to preserve the shutout.

Glassey's double was the first hit Simpson had allowed in six appearances against High Desert this year.

Simpson remained in the game to pitch the eighth. After getting two quick outs, Simpson was hit for a single by Jamie Sykes and walked Jeff Brooks. Catcher Travis Oglesby followed but was simply overmatched by Simpson, getting punched out on three consecutive pitches for the third out.

Brandon Parker retired the side in order for Lancaster giving the JetHawks their fourth shutout of the year, first of the second half and first since May 24.

Uploaded August 28, 2000