Webb spins another gem, 5-3

Less than a month ago, he recorded a 14-strikeout performance in a game against Modesto that tied a JetHawks team record for most strikeouts in a game.

On Friday, he pitched a perfect game through five innings to keep his new-found reputation intact and lead Lancaster to a 5-3 victory.

Brian Gordon's solo home run in the fourth inning proved to be the game-winning run as the JetHawks held off a mid-game rally from the Giants to take the win.

Webb dominated the first five innings for his sixth win of the season, using his fastball and sinker as a one-two punch to keep San Jose off the scoreboard. He ended the night with six strikeouts.

"I thought I threw the ball real well and I was finding the strike zone," Webb said. "It seems I've been doing that more and more lately."

His perfect game ended when he hit Jose Cerda with his first pitch of the fifth inning. The no-hitter ended one batter later when Scoop McDowell hit a two-run home run, his first homer of the year, that put San Jose within striking distance.

"I wasn't really thinking about (the perfect game), I just misplaced a few pitches," Webb said.

Nevertheless, Webb's sixth win of the season was one of his best games in a JetHawks uniform.

"My sinker was really on tonight," Webb said. "I knew I was on when I was out there."

Webb kept his pitches low in the strike zone most of the night, allowing him to keep most of the San Jose's contacts on the ground.

Early in the game, Webb found himself behind in the count on several occasions but managed to pitch his way out of the inning.

"Really the only time he put it up high is when he gave up the home run," Lancaster pitching coach Mike Parrott said. "Other than that, he looked pretty good."

Webb's confidence on the mound, however, didn't rub off on reliever Brian Matzenbacher, who gave up three hits and a home run in 1/3 inning of work.

Jaime Gann came into the game with one out in the seventh and two runners in scoring position but managed to diffuse the situation after catching a comebacker that ended the inning. It would be the closest San Jose would get to scoring another run.

"The bullpen got into some jams but fortunately we were able to get out of them," Parrott said. "Gann was great in the seventh. That was really the biggest high-pressure situation he's been in all year and he got it done."

Brandon Medders and Jay Belflower also kept San Jose off the scoreboard, despite each giving up hits with two outs in the eighth and ninth innings.

Belflower got his 10th save of the year.

Lancaster got onto the scoreboard first when Matt Kata hammered a 3-1 pitch from Giants starter Vance Cozier over the right field wall and near the 14 Freeway on-ramp.

Overall, Cozier looked good against the JetHawks, but getting behind in the count forced the 23-year-old to send pitches over the plate and the JetHawks made him pay.

Gordon's home run an inning later gave Lancaster an even bigger lead. Gordon was 2-4 with an RBI.

Corey Myers then capped the scoring with an RBI-double into the right-field corner that sealed the JetHawks win.

Uploaded August 18, 2001