Lancaster shows its resiliency

Lancaster scored at least one run in each of the first six innings to defeat Modesto

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press June 5, 1998.

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The Valley Division first-half title might be out of the question, but the Lancaster JetHawks are far from ready to pack it in and wait for the Cal League All-Star Game.

After getting swept in an important three-game series at division-leading San Jose, the JetHawks showed their resiliency with a 8-6 victory over Modesto Thursday before 3,552 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

"I told these guys (Thursday), it would have been nice to win the first half," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "But we can't give up now. We have to keep playing hard and get as many wins as we can, because they'll be important at the end of the year."

The JetHawks, who play six more games before the all-star break against the A's, moved into a second-place tie with Modesto (33-28), eight games behind the Giants, who moved within one game of clinching at least a tie with a 5-0 victory over Visalia Thursday.

The Lancaster offense, which was held to only four hits Wednesday against San Jose and shut out for only the second time this year, was anything but silent Thursday. The JetHawks scored at least one run in each of the first six innings to build an 8-3 lead.

"We swung the bats pretty good early today," Burleson said.

Lancaster touched three Modesto pitchers for eight hits and five walks to build the advantage.

Lancaster jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, when Brendan Kingman doubled in Ramon Vazquez, who went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the game, and Jason Regan plated Cirilo Cruz with a sacrifice fly.

The JetHawks made it 5-0 in the third when Jayson Bass singled in Regan before Michael Moore doubled in Luis Tinoco. Bass also picked up a solo home run in the fifth, his fifth blast of the season.

Cam Smith (1-1) pitched scoreless fifth and sixth innings before allowing an inside-the-park tworun homer to Todd Mensik with one out in the seventh to pick up his first win as a JetHawk.

Brian Sweeney, who started the game after John Kelly's promotion to Class AA Orlando early Thursday, gave up a traditional threerun homer to Hipolito Martinez in the fourth, but Modesto managed only one other run in the eighth inning.

Sweeney, Smith and Aaron Scheffer combined to strike out 14 Modesto batters. Sweeney, who was the only Lancaster pitcher selected to the all-star game, struck out the side in the third inning on 12 pitches.

Scheffer retired the final eight batters of the game to record his seven save of the season.

"You saw two teams that had 5 1/2-hour bus trips the day before and I think it showed," Burleson said. "Both teams looked a little tired but we were fortunate to come out with a win."