Feeling lucky, 'Hawks split doubleheader

The JetHawks got plenty of offense to take the nightcap of the doubleheader 10-2 after High Desert won the opener 6-5.

Bad luck helped prolong the Lancaster JetHawks' three-game losing streak with a 6-5 loss to High Desert in the first game of a doubleheader. Good luck helped them end that losing streak with a 10-2 victory over the Mavericks in the second game before 3,967 onlookers at Maverick Stadium.

With the JetHawks clinging to a 2-1 lead in the third inning of the first game, High Desert's Jarod Patterson sent a shot into center field. Lancaster's Anton French started in on the ball, but had to break back. As he tried to change direction, French's feet slipped out from under him, allowing the ball to reach the wall.

Patterson cruised into third with a game-tying RBI triple, and the Mavericks were on their way to a five-run inning, which was all they needed to win the game.

In the second game, the winds of fortune started blowing toward the visitors' dugout.

This time, the JetHawks trailed 2-1 entering the second inning. Luis Tinoco drew a leadoff walk, and Michael Moore followed with a popup to shallow right field. The ball squirted out of the glove of High Desert second baseman Junior Spivey. Spivey retrieved the ball and managed to throw out Tinoco at second to avoid the error.

But the play ended up helping the JetHawks. Moore, who is a little more fleet of foot than Tinoco, made High Desert pay on French's double two batters later. Moore motored around third and barely beat the tag at home to tie the game, 2-2.

That play seemed to ignite Lancaster's offense, which produced two runs in the third and fourth innings, three in the sixth and one in the seventh to help the JetHawks cruise to the victory.

"In that second game, we were able to score some runs," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "We managed to give (starting pitcher Brian Sweeney) a little bit of breathing room."

Each of the nine JetHawks starters scored at least one run, as Lancaster gathered 10 hits and four walks. The offensive output was highlighted by Joel Ramirez's solo home run in the first inning, Jason Regan's solo home run in the seventh and RBI doubles by Adonis Harrison, Cirilo Cruz Jr. and French.

That kind of offense was all Sweeney (4-0) needed to grab his second victory in as many starts during his two-year career with the JetHawks. Sweeney struggled a little in the first inning, allowing two runs on four hits. His first two pitches of the night were hit hard for a single and an RBI double.

"I was struggling with my command," Sweeney said. "My changeup wasn't working. (Catcher Francisco Santiestaban) was yelling at me every pitch to keep it down."

Sweeney recovered from the first inning to pitch four scoreless frames, even though he said he didn't have his best stuff. The right-hander allowed six hits, five walks and struck out two.

"I was just happy to get the job done," Sweeney said. "(Pitching coach Jim) Slaton came to me before the game and basically said I had to stop the bleeding."

Bad things came in threes for the JetHawks in the first game. The loss was their third in a row and was spurred by three triples in the bottom of the third inning.

Julius Matos sent a one-out triple down the left-field line, before Spivey plated him with a three-bagger down the right-field line.

Two batters later, Patterson tripled to center field after French fell down, scoring Spivey.

JetHawks starter John Kelly (0-1), who made his first start after being demoted from Class AA Orlando, then loaded the bases with his only two walks in five innings of work.

Jhensey Sandoval cleared the bases with a two-out single, that was misplayed by Lancaster right fielder Jayson Bass.

"In the first game, the play in the outfield was not good," Burleson said.

The five-run inning erased the JetHawks' 2-0 lead, which was built on Cirilo Cruz's solo home run in the first inning and back-toback doubles by Harrison and Ramon Vazquez in the top of the third.

French trimmed the lead to two runs with a solo home run, his first of the season, in the ninth inning, but High Desert closer Martin Sanchez struck out the three other batters he faced in the frame to pick up his fifth save of the season.