A strong start

JetHawks' rally stops Stampede

Even as Lancaster committed five errors, Jeff Heaverlo was solid for seven innings in game one of the California League South Division Championship series as the JetHawks topped San Bernardino 4-2 and took a 1-0 lead in the bestof-five series before a crowd of 2,515 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

"We had some alligator arms in the field," Parent said, "guys who were afraid to make mistakes defensively. But Jeff held strong and threw a hell of a game for us."

Heaverlo gave up both runs in the game, one run in the first and fifth innings, but neither run was earned as he struck out seven batters.

On two occasions, San Bernardino had a runner on third with one out. Both times, Heaverlo worked out of trouble without giving up a run.

"Jeff threw his (tail) off tonight," pitching coach Scott Budner said. "He made great pitches and got the job done. He set the tone for the other guys watching that this was just another game."

Even with the five errors, Heaverlo felt comfortable with his defense.

"Despite what the scoreboard says with the errors," Heaverlo said, "this win gets solely credited to the defense. Peanut (Williams) made some great plays at first, and (Wilfredo) Quintana and (Juan) Silvestre had great throws from the outfield tonight."

In the sixth with a 3-2 lead, Heaverlo started the inning with a walk to Jesus Feliciano and sent him to second on a wild pitch with no outs.

The Stampede grounded into back-to-back outs to short, failing to move Feliciano to third. With two outs, Michael Collins singled to right and Stampede manager Dino Ebel waved Feliciano home on the play.

But Lancaster's right fielder, Quintana, came up throwing and nailed Feliciano at the plate. JetHawks catcher Scott Maynard took a vicious hit from Feliciano, but held onto the ball to record the third out.

"He's been doing stuff like that all year," Parent said of Maynard. "He got the ball early and in the air, he just made sure he made the out. He didn't get cute with it or anything."

"I knew as soon as Quintana threw the ball that he was out," Maynard said.

Heaverlo was relieved by Aaron Looper to start the eighth. Looper responded by setting the side down in order, including two by his specialty, the groundball.

Looper gave way to closer Brandon Parker in the ninth. Parker gave up a hit but closed out the game without giving up a run.

"It's a tough spot out there for him," Parent said. "He's the one guy I count on out there. If he gives it up, he gives it up. It's his inning."

Parker did run into trouble in the inning, but the threat was averted when another Stampede runner was cut down at the plate. This time, Silvestre and Perez hooked up to beat John Hernandez at the plate for the second out of the inning.

The JetHawks collected three hits in four innings, but came alive in the fifth with three runs on three hits.

Catcher Scott Maynard singled to right with one out and was followed by center fielder Harvey Hargrove, who drew a walk from Stampede starter Phil Devey.

Leadoff man Antonio Perez put the JetHawks on the board, one batter later, with a triple into the right field corner. That scored both Maynard and Hargrove and tying the game at 2-2.

Perez would later score on a groundout by Freddie May that San Bernardino second baseman Michael Collins could not handle in time to make a play on Perez at home.

"I was just happy to get the team on the board," Perez said in his native Spanish. "After we scored, the team stepped up."

In the sixth, the offense scored an insurance run after Bo Robinson led off with a single and came in on Maynard's single, the third hit of the inning.

"I was looking for something up that I could hit up the middle . . . and he hung a curveball," Maynard said. "I need to take that attitude to the plate every time I go up, not just when there are guys on."

In the opening game of the North Division Championship Series in Modesto, the A's beat Visalia 4-2 in game one. The second game will be played tonight at Modesto.

Uploaded September 9, 2000