JetHawks win, take three vs. A's

Thursday night, Webb pitched eight flawless innings. He struck out 14 Modesto batters and gave up two hits in Lancaster's 3-0 victory over the A's.

"That's a big-league outing right there," JetHawks second baseman Matt Kata said. "He got ahead in the count, no one took really good swings against him, it was a good tempo, lot of Ks."

Webb earned his first victory since May 27 to complete Lancaster's first three-game sweep of the season.

"It's unfortunate we needed a shutout to get him a win," JetHawks manager Scott Coolbaugh said.

The JetHawks swept the series with pitching. The staff allowed one run in three games, and didn't allow a run in the final 27 innings of the series. The A's scored one run off Hatuey Mendoza in the second inning of the series opener, and none after that.

"I wanted to keep up with the other pitchers," Webb said. "I didn't want any teammates to get ahead of me."

Webb (4-9) took care of that by pitching his best game of the season. He located all of his pitches with nasty movement. His best pitch, a sinker, bore down on Modesto's batters, and just three balls - two singles by Freddy Bynum and a flyout to right field - left the infield.

"I had good sink, my change-up had good sink, and I threw my curve for strikes every time," Webb said.

He struck out at least one batter in all eight innings he pitched, and struck out eight of Modesto's 10 batters (nine starters and one replacement) at least once. The 14 Ks are the most by a JetHawks pitcher this season and the most in Webb's career.

Bynum opened the game with a soft single to left field. Webb didn't allow another hit until the sixth, when Bynum poked a single to right. Bynum reached on Jason Williams' error in the third.

Marcus Gwyn (2-10) allowed three runs in six innings to take the loss.

The JetHawks scored three runs in the first three innings off Gwyn, more than enough for Webb. Brian Gordon doubled with two outs in the second, and Ryan Jones singled him home. Billy Martin doubled two runs home in the third.

Robbie Hammock singled home an insurance run in the ninth.

Cedrick Harris singled three times and scored twice for Lancaster, and Gordon had two hits.

JetHawks designated hitter J.D. Closser was hitless in four at-bats, snapping a 12-game hitting streak.

The A's scored their last run Tuesday night on a second-inning home run by outfielder Jesus Basabe. Basabe is 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts since that at bat, and Lancaster's pitchers posted 27 zeros.

The JetHawks need nine innings to tie the league record. Duaner Sanchez tries to keep the streak alive against Rancho Cucamonga tonight.

"I would hope the guys wouldn't even think about it," Coolbaugh said. "If it's meant to happen, it'll happen. If it's not, it's not."

Uploaded August 3, 2001