JetHawks error-ful ways continue in loss to Nine

"It's one of those games you see in A-ball every once in a while," Coolbaugh said. "You just hope not too often."

And certainly not two games in a row.

The JetHawks and the Nine combined Monday for six errors and 15 runs in the first four innings as both teams showed late-season fatigue. The JetHawks finished with four errors, helping the Nine cruise to the 12-7 victory.

"We've been sluggish the last couple of days," said JetHawks second baseman Matt Kata, who committed one of the four errors. "It's August, everyone's tired. But you just have to grind it out."

Lancaster jumped out to a 5-2 lead with a four-run third inning, but the Nine scored three runs in each of the next three innings. Nine catcher Dane Sardinha tied the game with a two-run home run in the third. Then the Nine took the lead for good in the fourth on Josh Spoerl's run-scoring single. Spoerl finished with four singles, three runs and an RBI in five at-bats.

JetHawks reliever Bryan Matzenbacher gave the Nine a run by hitting a batter with the bases loaded. The JetHawks didn't retire the Nine in order until the seventh inning, when Greg Jacobs, Lancaster's fourth pitcher of the game, held Mudville in check. Jacobs retired all six batters he faced.

"Coming into Mudville, if you score seven runs, you feel pretty good," Coolbaugh said. "But back-to-back games we've been pretty bad as far as pitching and defense is concerned, and those are the two key components to being a winning team."

JetHawks third baseman Corey Myers had two base hits and two RBI, extending his hitting streak to 14 games, but he committed one of Lancaster's errors, leading to one of Mudville's three unearned runs. Kata, left fielder Jamie Sykes and catcher Jeff Waldron each committed an error, too.

"People have got to pick people up," Kata said. "Hitters have pick the pitchers up, pitchers have to pick the fielders up. I don't think we've been doing that the last couple of days."

The Nine held Lancaster to one hit over the next four innings before the JetHawks staged a mild ninth-inning rally. The JetHawks loaded the bases with one out on a single, a walk and a hit batsman, but Casey Dehart struck out Myers and Jason Williams to end the game.

Neither starting pitcher lasted the fourth inning. JetHawks starter Scott Barber (6-6) allowed eight runs, six earned, on eight hits in three innings, with a walk and a strikeout. Nine starter Dave Therneau allowed seven runs, four earned, on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Doug Dent (6-3) pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings to earn the victory.

Notes
Outfielder Kevan Burns will get his first start today since his Friday activation from the disabled list. Burns, who's missed the last six weeks with a herniated disc in his back, will serve as Lancaster's designated hitter today, and he'll probably play every second day. Coolbaugh doesn't expect him to be in the outfield until the last week of the season, if at all.

With starting pitchers Brandon Webb and Doug Slaten coming off strong starts, the JetHawks coaching staff has abandoned its plan to piggyback the two starters for their two remaining starts, at least for this week.

Slaten will make his scheduled start Wednesday in the finale against Mudville and Webb will start Thursday's opener of a four-game series at San Jose. Brian Matzenbacher, who was going to take Webb's spot in the rotation, will remain in the bullpen.

Uploaded August 20, 2001