Look out. The pitchers are going to get a round of batting practice, their reward for pitching a shutout.
Ivan Montane and John Daniels combined to shut out the High Desert Mavericks, 4-0, and Jose Cruz Jr. hit his first home run of the season Friday night in front of a paid attendance of 5,054 at The Hangar.
Lancaster (12-4) won its fifth in a row to stay on top of the California League's Southern Division. The JetHawks have won all four games at home.
After two bad starts in a row, Montane was effective against the Mavericks, striking out six and walking only one.
"Hopefully, it will be like this for the rest of the year," Montane said.
Montane, a 22-year-old right-hander from Miami, entered the game with 13 walks in 13 1/3 innings pitched.
But he displayed good control and composure with runners on base. He gave up a hit to the lead-off batter in three innings but only allowed one runner to reach third base - Doug Newstrom, who hit a one-out triple in the second.
"I think it's all in the head," Montane said. "It's all confidence. It's upstairs."
Montane struck out 155 and walked just 82 in 159 innings at Class A Appleton two years ago, but he struggled last season at Riverside (5-5, 3.85 ERA).
"That's the kind of stuff (Montane) is capable of doing," Lancaster manager Dave Brundage said. "That's the Ivan Montane people expect and look for.
"Anytime he's around the plate like that, with the stuff he has, he's capable of doing that every night," he said.
The JetHawks' pitching staff has risen to the challenge of pitching at The Hangar, with its constant 25-30 mph winds that blow out almost exclusively.
At home, Lancaster has outscored its opponents 25-8.
"With the wind blowing out like it is, you have to locate your pitches," Brundage said. "We've had four good starts in a row."
Montane was supported by a three-run rally in the fourth.
With one out, Jesus Marquez hit a solo home run to right off Mavericks starter Brad Crills to score the game's first run.
Crills, who gave up all four runs on seven hits in seven innings, then walked Carlos Villalobos, hit Shawn Buhner and walked Dusty Wathan to load the bases.
Jason Cook hit a drive off the wall in left-center field that appeared to go over the wall for a grand slam. But the ball actually hit off the top of of one of the white advertising signs, fooling the JetHawks on base.
Nobody passed each other, though, and two scored as Cook went into second with a 375-foot double.
The inning could have been worse for Crills and High Desert when Shane Monahan hit a sharp grounder in the hole on the right side. Second baseman Jessie Garcia robbed Monahan of a hit with a nice diving stop and throw to get him by a step.
The JetHawks added their fourth run on Cruz's solo homer to right. It was a pleasant birthday present for Cruz, who turned 22 Friday.
"I've never had this long of a period where I've been hitting well and haven't had a homer," said Cruz, who entered the game with a .383 average and 15 RBI. "It was in the back of my mind. The load's off."