Hawks can't control win

What Barber lacks, according to pitching coach Mike Parrott, is the mental approach to succeed. He needs to learn how to be aggressive with his slider to get ahead in the count. When he's done that this season, he's been dominant. When he doesn't, the results haven't been pretty.

Saturday against Rancho Cucamonga, Barber didn't. He allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 inning - the shortest of his six starts this season - and the Quakes beat the JetHawks, 8-3.

"He's got to try to get back on track," JetHawks manager Scott Coolbaugh said. "I don't know how. But he'll be back out there in four days."

Barber struggled with his location, putting him behind in the count. He threw first-pitch strikes to just six of 17 batters, a number Parrott said is unacceptable. The Quakes took advantage, scoring three runs in the second inning and four more in the third.

"There's only so much you can tell him," said Parrott. "He's well aware of what he has to do to get outs. He's not doing it."

The right-hander has allowed five or more earned runs in each of his last five starts. In three of those starts, he hasn't gotten out of the fourth inning.

Barber (5-4) began the season in the JetHawks bullpen before going to the lower levels of Arizona's farm system for a conversion to starter. Before the switch, Cal League hitters were batting .327 against him, and he had a string of five consecutive appearances in key situations in which he failed.

But his numbers in the rotation are considerably worse than his bullpen numbers. He posted a 5.92 ERA with a 2-1 record and two saves in the bullpen. In the rotation, Barber is 3-3 with an 8.13 ERA.

Francisco Rodriguez, Barber's Rancho counterpart, eased past the JetHawks. He dominated the first three innings, allowing three hits and striking out six JetHawks batters, while his teammates built the big lead off Barber. He loosened the reins a bit - JetHawks catcher J.D. Closser hit a two-run home run in the fourth, and Jeff Waldron drove in a run with a single in the sixth - but never lost control.

"We couldn't get anything going against Rodriguez," Coolbaugh said. "We couldn't get that leadoff guy on. Just two times we did that tonight, and both scored."

Rodriguez (4-3) allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out nine, walked one, and allowed seven hits.

The JetHawks stayed close thanks to sterling relief by Lancaster's bullpen. Saul Montoya allowed one hit in three innings, and Mike Garber allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings.

Brian Matzenbacher allowed one run in the eighth inning. Greg Jacobs, who pitched for the Quakes before a trade from the Angels to the Diamondbacks, faced his former team for the first time, and retired the only batter he faced to end the eighth.

Every Quakes batter hit safely except Scott Bikowski, and he was hit by a pitch and walked. Sergio Contreras, Jeffrey Wagner, Jared Abruzzu and Bienvenido Encarnacion each had two hits for the Quakes. Encarnacion and Carlos Gastelum each drove in two runs.

Uploaded August 6, 2001