Daily update on the JetHawks.
By BRIAN GOLDEN
Staff Writer
LAKE ELSINORE - Well, they're improving.
But they're still losing.
The last time the Lancaster JetHawks faced Brian Cooper of the Lake Elsinore Storm, he shut them out on six hits.
Cooper actually gave up seven hits and three runs to the JetHawks Monday, and he didn't even see the seventh inning.
Phil Dauphin's two-out single scored Kevin Young in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 5-4 Lake Elsinore victory in front of 3,002 at The Diamond.
Lancaster battled back from deficits of 3-0 and 4-3, only to lose its seventh straight game and 11of-12 to fall below .500 (19-20) for the first time in the club's Antelope Valley existence.
"Our effort was much better tonight," said JetHawks manager Dave Brundage. "We made some physical mistakes, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. I can't complain about that."
With the score tied 3-3 in the sixth, Young led off with a double that pinned Shane Monahan to the left-field wall. As he crumbled in a heap on the warning track, center fielder Marcus Sturdivant collected the carom and threw wildly to second, permitting Young to advance 90 feet.
It allowed Paul Failla's double play grounder to score Young.
In the eighth, Lancaster regrouped, with Jesus Marquez retying the game on a clutch two-out single to right by Mike Lanza.
Reliever Clint Gould (0-1) then gave up a single to Young, wild-pitched him to second and watched the Storm baserunenr take third on the third passed ball of the game charged to catcher Dusty Wathan.
"I don't know what happened when those pitches got away," Brundage said.
Anthony Chavez (3-0) picked up the win in relief for Lake Elsinore.
Chris Beck's effort to stop the hemorrhaging got off to a staggering start.
Storm third baseman Joe Urso homered off the Lancaster right-hander with one out in the first inning. After a single by 32-year-old player/coach Ty Van Burkleo, Tony Moeder, who was demoted from Class AA two weeks ago, shattered two bulbs on the left field scoreboard with his third home for a 3-0 lead.
Beck worked his way through the next four innings without incident, and Lancaster rallied to tie the game, 3-3.
Cooper struck out six in the first four frames, but finally gave up a run on Jason Cook's double and ensuing singles by Jesus Marquez and Dusty Wathan. Cook starred for Lancaster with three hits after being moved into the No.5 spot in the batting order.
After two quick outs in the fifth, Lancaster struck to tie the game.
Cooper hit James Clifford with a pitch, Cook singled, and Marquez singled home Clifford.
Cook aggressively went to third on the hit, drawing a throw which permitted Marquez to pull into second base behind him.
Cook's hustle paid off when Cooper unleashed a wild pitch, permitting Cook to score.