Marino Santana was named Howe Sportsdata California League Pitcher of the week for the week ending June 1. Santana (4-5) went 2-0 with a microscopic 0.69 ERA, allowing only one run, three walks and seven hits, while striking out 11 in 13 innings.
By CHRIS BRANAM
Staff Writer
LANCASTER - A sweep over the hapless Bakersfield Blaze was quaint.
Taking two-of-three from San Bernardino is a statement.
The Lancaster JetHawks, who were five games under .500 and 3½ games out of first, have surged to within one game of Rancho Cucamonga in the California League's Southern Division with 13 games left to play in the first half.
A 10-2 win over the Stampede Sunday helped the JetHawks move over .500, 29-28, for the first time since May 11. In the last two games at San Bernardino, the JetHawks outscored the Stampede 24-3.
After an off-day Monday, Lancaster begins a three-game series at High Desert (29-29) tonight at 7:15 p.m.
And all of a sudden, Lancaster's four-game series with Rancho Cucamonga that begins on June 10 looms as the most important series of the season to date.
But Lancaster manager Dave Brundage said after Saturday's win that he isn't concerned with the Quakes just yet.
"I don't think we should be scoreboard watching," he said. "We control our own destiny. There's no need to be looking to see how other teams do."
But he made a mild prediction: "If we play like we're capable, we can win the division. We're getting in the right gear at the right time."
After an early May swoon, Lancaster won six of its last eight games and finished the month 10-19. The superior offensive performances of April, with which the JetHawks led the Cal League in hitting for most of the month, have returned.
Since losing 10-4 to San Jose on May 22, the JetHawks are averaging 9.4 runs in their last 10 games. That includes scoring 10 runs or more six times.
The pitching has been just as good. In their last six games, the staff is allowing an average of 2.5 runs per game.
Other Lancaster tidbits:
Marino Santana was named Howe Sportsdata California League Pitcher of the week for the week ending June 1. Santana (4-5) went 2-0 with a microscopic 0.69 ERA, allowing only one run, three walks and seven hits, while striking out 11 in 13 innings.
Ken Cloude won his fourth in a row Sunday, improving to 6-2 overall. He struck out seven to increase his league-leading total to 79; his ERA during the win streak is exactly 2.00.
By pitching three innings, reliever John Daniels gained a save in the JetHawks' 14-1 win Saturday. It was the third time Daniels gained a save this season in a game in which the JetHawks outscored their opponent by at least 10 runs.
Sunday's game
Lancaster ripped San Bernardino starter Dennis Reyes, the Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela incarnate, for seven hits and seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings Sunday.
Reyes, a portly 19-year-old lefthander from Higuera de Zaragoza, Mexico, was signed by Los Angeles advanced scout Mike Brito, who also signed Valenzuela nearly 20 years ago. San Bernardino manager Del Crandall said Reyes does almost everything to emulate Valenzuela, including his hero's peekto-the-sky windup.
Three JetHawks had two hits apiece to lead the way: Marcus Sturdivant, Scot Sealy and Luis Figueroa.
Tonight's game
RHP Chris Beck (4-3, 3.83) will start for Lancaster against the Mavericks' RHP Joey Rhodes (2-3, 4.71).
By CHRIS BRANAM
Staff Writer
LANCASTER - A sweep over the hapless Bakersfield Blaze was quaint.
Taking two-of-three from San Bernardino is a statement.
The Lancaster JetHawks, who were five games under .500 and 3½ games out of first, have surged to within one game of Rancho Cucamonga in the California League's Southern Division with 13 games left to play in the first half.
A 10-2 win over the Stampede Sunday helped the JetHawks move over .500, 29-28, for the first time since May 11. In the last two games at San Bernardino, the JetHawks outscored the Stampede 24-3.
After an off-day Monday, Lancaster begins a three-game series at High Desert (29-29) tonight at 7:15 p.m.
And all of a sudden, Lancaster's four-game series with Rancho Cucamonga that begins on June 10 looms as the most important series of the season to date.
But Lancaster manager Dave Brundage said after Saturday's win that he isn't concerned with the Quakes just yet.
"I don't think we should be scoreboard watching," he said. "We control our own destiny. There's no need to be looking to see how other teams do."
But he made a mild prediction: "If we play like we're capable, we can win the division. We're getting in the right gear at the right time."
After an early May swoon, Lancaster won six of its last eight games and finished the month 10-19. The superior offensive performances of April, with which the JetHawks led the Cal League in hitting for most of the month, have returned.
Since losing 10-4 to San Jose on May 22, the JetHawks are averaging 9.4 runs in their last 10 games. That includes scoring 10 runs or more six times.
The pitching has been just as good. In their last six games, the staff is allowing an average of 2.5 runs per game.
Other Lancaster tidbits:
Marino Santana was named Howe Sportsdata California League Pitcher of the week for the week ending June 1. Santana (4-5) went 2-0 with a microscopic 0.69 ERA, allowing only one run, three walks and seven hits, while striking out 11 in 13 innings.
Ken Cloude won his fourth in a row Sunday, improving to 6-2 overall. He struck out seven to increase his league-leading total to 79; his ERA during the win streak is exactly 2.00.
By pitching three innings, reliever John Daniels gained a save in the JetHawks' 14-1 win Saturday. It was the third time Daniels gained a save this season in a game in which the JetHawks outscored their opponent by at least 10 runs.
Sunday's game
Lancaster ripped San Bernardino starter Dennis Reyes, the Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela incarnate, for seven hits and seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings Sunday.
Reyes, a portly 19-year-old lefthander from Higuera de Zaragoza, Mexico, was signed by Los Angeles advanced scout Mike Brito, who also signed Valenzuela nearly 20 years ago. San Bernardino manager Del Crandall said Reyes does almost everything to emulate Valenzuela, including his hero's peekto-the-sky windup.
Three JetHawks had two hits apiece to lead the way: Marcus Sturdivant, Scot Sealy and Luis Figueroa.
Tonight's game
RHP Chris Beck (4-3, 3.83) will start for Lancaster against the Mavericks' RHP Joey Rhodes (2-3, 4.71).