After a lengthy wait, `Hawks win squeaker

Since then, they've lost all six one-run games they've been involved in.

That was until Sunday's 7-6 victory over High Desert in 11 innings at Maverick Stadium.

Despite losing leads late in the game twice, the JetHawks made Anton French's game-winning run in the 11th stand for their third straight victory over the Mavericks, as they moved within a game of .500 (18-19).

French led off the top of the 11th with a single to right-center field, which meant trouble for the Mavericks.

"Basically I want to put pressure on them when I'm on base," the speedy French said. "When I get on, you can see them kind of tense up. . . I just try to get on and eat them up."

French's speed certainly ate up the Mavericks in the 11th. After his single, French sprinted for second base.

The throw was closer than many of French's other 11 successful stolen base attempts this season, but the ball bounced away from Maverick shortstop Julius Matos.

As the ball was rolling into center field, French got up and ran to third base.

Francisco Santiestaban failed to score French, when he grounded out to third. But Joe Verplanke's second pitch to Adonis Harrison got away from catcher Rod Barajas for a passed ball, allowing French to score an unearned run.

Lancaster reliever Allan Westfall took care of the rest in the bottom half of the inning. He got Junior Spivey to ground out to first and Matos and Jarrod Patterson to ground out to short to pick up his second save of the season.

"You figured we'd have to (win some close games) eventually," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "We only had three saves as a staff all season. We were always in positions where we pulled away or where we've given leads up late."

Lancaster almost had that happen again Sunday. After Brendan Kingman's three-run homer in the top of the eighth gave the JetHawks a 5-2 lead, High Desert answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by Kevin Clark's two-run homer off Kyle Kennison.

Clark also spoiled a one-run lead provided by Ramon Vazquez in the top of the 10th with a solo home run off Kennison.

"He got a couple of balls up," Burleson said. "In this league, you can't pitch up around the belt unless you're throwing 95 miles per hour."

Kennison (2-1) managed to bounce back, though, and ended up picking up the victory.
Coming home

After playing 17 of 20 games on the road, the JetHawks finally return to Lancaster Municipal Stadium for awhile. The JetHawks will play 19 of their next 26 at The Hangar before hitting the road again for a six-game road trip to end the first half.

With that many games at home, it's imperative that Lancaster starts playing well at The Hanger. The JetHawks started the season 6-10 at home and were 12-10 on the road through Monday's game.

The JetHawks open against the only team they played at home during the recent road trip - Lake Elsinore. That series was marred by a bench-clearing brawl May 3 that resulted in four players being ejected and suspended and 40 other players being fined.

Both teams are hoping to avoid a repeat performance.

"We're not going to worry about it until something happens," Burleson said. "But everybody will keep their head up, I'm sure."

Anaheim's Todd Greene and Randy Velarde, who were on rehab assignments with the Storm, left the team Monday and are not expected to play in Lancaster this weekend.

Getting the call

Reliever Russ Koehler will make his first professional start in tonight's game. Koehler (1-3, 7.06 ERA) should face the Storm's Jason Stockstill (4-2, 4.79) after Lake Elsinore was rained out in Stockton Monday.

Koehler last pitched May 6 at San Bernardino, taking the extrainning loss to the Stampede. He has pitched in 10 games this season, all in relief. His 23 outings at Class A Wisconsin in 1997 also all came from the bullpen.

The JetHawks expect to follow Koehler with John Kelly (0-1, 7.20) and Patrick Dunham (4-3, 2.16), while the Storm should counter with Brian Tokarse (3-3, 4.89) and Tommy Darrell (2-2, 5.19).

Brian Sweeney, who has won both of his starts this season, moves back into the bullpen. He started Friday's 10-2 victory over High Desert.

The JetHawks hope Jason Bond, who missed a start with a sore elbow, is ready to go the next time his spot in the rotation comes around.