By CHRIS BRANAM
Staff Writer
LANCASTER - The Boz says he's back, and it appears so are the Lancaster JetHawks.
Seattle's Chris Bosio, starting for Lancaster in place of teammate Randy Johnson on an injury-rehabilitation assignment, gave up one run in four innings and the JetHawks rolled to a 10-1 win over San Jose on Friday night.
A paid attendance of 6,618, the second-largest crowd of the season at The Hangar, didn't get to see Johnson, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner who called off his assignment at the behest of a Los Angeles back specialist.
They were treated instead to an effective outing by Bosio against the Giants, the California League's Northern Division firsthalf winners, and a JetHawks offense that didn't sputter with men on base like the previous four games, all losses to High Desert at home.
"I felt pretty good," said Bosio, who gave up three hits and struck out three while throwing 56 pitches. "The biggest thing is control and trying to get ahead of hitters."
After undergoing his seventh knee operation in the offseason, Bosio made one rehab appearance with the JetHawks in Visalia on April 8.
He gave up two unearned runs in four innings and then went 3-2 with a 6.16 ERA for the Mariners before going back on the disabled list.
He said he thinks he came back too soon in the spring and feels like he's close to contributing to the Mariners, where he will pitch in middle relief.
"I'm as close as I've been all year," he said.
While Bosio looks like he's almost at full-strength, the JetHawks kicked their offense back into gear.
James Clifford's grand slam, the team's third in two weeks and first by a player other than Scott Smith, highlighted a five-run fifth that knocked San Jose starter Ben Tucker (1-4) from the game.
Lancaster (15-15) had already taken a 5-1 lead against Tucker in the first four innings before Jesus Marquez opened the fifth with his team-leading 14th homer of the season.
Tucker walked the next three batters and Clifford hit left-handed reliever Jason Myers' first pitch over the right-field fence and on the roof of The Hangar's equipment shed; it was Clifford's 13th homer of the season.
"I was thinking with the bases loaded (Myers) was not going to want to get behind and throw a fastball," said Clifford of his mindset before hitting his first professional grand slam.
Following Bosio to the mound was JetHawks' reliever John Daniels, who, like Bosio, relies on changing speeds and location.
After giving up back-to-back singles to start the fifth, Daniels (3-4) was outstanding, retiring the last nine batters he faced, five by strikeout.
Daniels has 14 strikeouts in his last seven innings since taking a loss at San Bernardino on July 13.
"I'm successful as long as I throw the pitches I want and make those pitches," Daniels said.
In his second Lancaster appearance, Chad Soden pitched two innings of shutout relief and combined with Bosio and Daniels to hold the Giants (16-14) to five hits.
"That's more like it," Lancaster manager Dave Brundage said of the JetHawks' performance. "We need those big leaguers to come in and give us a boost."
Josh Watts started in left field and went 0-for-3 with a run scored in his JetHawk debut.