By CHRIS BRANAM
Staff Writer
LANCASTER - Something wasn't quite right with the way Trey Moore felt in between innings Friday night.
"I didn't really feel good at all out there today," Moore said. "I felt tight. It seemed like everything was out of sync."
So Moore had a solution: Try to throw as few pitches as possible against the heavy-hitting Stockton Ports.
Less was Moore for Trey.
Moore gave up two runs in eight innings to lead the Lancaster JetHawks to their first win over the Ports this season, 6-2 in front of 4,750 fans at The Hangar.
Moore (3-2) beat the Ports by going back to what made him a 14-game winner in the California League last year.
He thought less about nibbling on the outer reaches of the strike zone and challenged the Ports hitters with his inside fastball.
It worked. Although he gave up eight hits, including a solo home run by Scott Krause in the second inning, Moore kept his pitch count low (he finished with 82 pitches) and induced 15 ground-ball outs.
He did all of this despite not having what Lancaster manager Dave Brundage called Moore's "best stuff."
"I had a little catch in my back during stretching," Moore said. "Sometimes when you feel really good you have some of your worst outings."
Friday's effort was one of Moore's better starts. He retired eight in a row in the middle innings and finished with three strikeouts and two walks.
Moore also shut down the Ports' Mike Rennhack, who had four hits Thursday, holding him to two walks during an 0-for-2 night.
"As the game moved on, the stronger (Moore) got," Brundage said. "He was gaining confidence with each inning."
Another JetHawk who is gaining confidence is Shane Monahan.
Monahan hit his second homer in two nights, a solo drive to right field in the third that gave the JetHawks a 2-1 lead, and went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
Over that stretch Monahan is batting .368 (14-for-38) with four homers and 10 RBI.
He's second on the team with 60 RBI despite starting most of the second half in the leadoff spot.
Like Moore, Monahan said he isn't trying to do anything fancy.
"I'm not trying to hit home runs," he said. "I'm trying to hit the ball hard. . . keep it simple."
Monahan also scored three times, including in the seventh on a fielder's choice grounder hit by Ricky Jordan that gave the JetHawks a 6-2 lead.
They scored twice in that inning, the first on a sacrifice fly by Jesus Marquez with the bases loaded.
Brundage said that rally was important, especially after the JetHawks scored nine runs Thursday and lost, 10-9.
"It was nice to put up those couple extra (runs)," he said. "(The Ports) swing the bat well."
The Ports didn't mount any late-inning rallies Friday. They left two on in the eighth, Moore's last inning, and reliever John Daniels retired the side in order in the ninth.
Beside the performances of Moore and Monahan, the Ports had one more thing against them.
The JetHawks wore their purple road uniforms in an attempt to end their seven-game losing streak to Stockton.
"I don't think these guys want to wear those (home uniforms today)," Brundage said.