Struggles continue for JetHawks starter

That aggressiveness has disappeared. Sunday, Barber turned in his fourth consecutive shaky performance, allowing seven runs, six earned, in 3 2/3 innings as Lake Elsinore beat the JetHawks, 12-7.

"It's almost like it's been a gradual progression (backwards)," JetHawks pitching coach Mike Parrott said. "I don't see him pitching with that same confidence. For whatever reason, he's starting to pitch like he did early in the year, when we had to send him back to extended spring training."

Barber has started six games for the JetHawks. In the first two, he allowed four earned runs in 12 innings. In the last four, he has allowed 22 runs, 20 earned, in 20 1/3 innings.

"I go out there and do the same thing every time," Barber said. "Today just wasn't a very good day for me."

Sunday, the Storm pelted Barber from the start. Bobby Scales, the game's opening batter, drove a double into the right-field gap, then scored on Jason Moore's single. After the JetHawks scored two in the bottom of the inning, the Storm reclaimed the lead in the second on Vince Faison's two-run home run.

Coolbaugh turned to Parrott in the dugout during a Storm rally and said that Barber lacked the aggressiveness he needs to be successful.

"You scratch your head a lot of times for a lot of guys," Coolbaugh said. "You see them go out there and dominate for one inning, or one outing, then he goes out there and you see that happen to a guy."

The Storm pieced together another run in the third, then broke the game open with three in the fourth. Tony Cosentino opened the inning with a homer. Andre Gomez doubled, and Barber walked two batters. Coolbaugh pulled Barber with the bases loaded, but reliever Mike Garber allowed a single to John Scheschuk to score one run, and Brian Gordon's fielding error on the play allowed a second.

Barber (5-3) walked three and struck out three. He allowed nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

"I wasn't able to locate, my fastball especially," Barber said.

Parrott plans on sitting down with Barber on Tuesday to discus his recent slide. Parrott sees two options for Barber, one of which can reverse the slide.

"Baseball is such a mental game, as far as what you're really doing and what you're saying you're doing," Parrott said. "He might say he has the same approach, but I don't see that same aggressiveness. If he says he has the same approach, and just can't locate, what does that accomplish? He has to be honest with himself."

Lake Elsinore starter Chris Rojas (6-5) allowed four runs in six innings. He allowed eight hits, struck out five and walked four.

Ryan Jones and Brian Gordon each hit two-run home runs for Lancaster, and J.D. Closser doubled twice. Billy Martin singled home a run, and Gordon added a sacrifice fly.

Closser has hit in 10 consecutive games.

Uploaded July 30, 2001