How sweep it is for JetHawks in Bakersfield

Lancaster survived a late rally and finished off Bakersfield for its second consecutive series sweep

The JetHawks tried to play Russian Roulette with three chambers loaded, but still managed to sneak out of town with a 6-5 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze before 1,745 fans at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

The win was Lancaster's seventh in a row and completed their second consecutive series sweep. Bakersfield lost its eighth straight.

Lancaster grabbed its 24th win in its last 33 games, but none of those victories were as difficult for the JetHawks to finish off as Thursday's.

"We would have been sick if we left here with a loss," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "Now who knows? Maybe this will end up giving us a lift."

It looked like Lancaster would leave with an easy victory when Kevin Gryboski came on to protect a 6-2 lead for starter Patrick Dunham (8-3). Gryboski struck out the side in the eighth inning on just 11 pitches.

But fortunes took a drastic change for Gryboski in the ninth, when he walked the bases loaded on 12 pitches.

"You saw him strike out the side in the eighth, so you know the strike zone was going to get a little tighter," said Aaron Scheffer, who came in to relieve his roommate and face the bases-loaded, no-out jam.

Scheffer threw some fuel on the fire when his first two pitches to William Otero were called balls. He then bounced a pickoff attempt into center field, allowing Jon Valenti to score. Otero ended up drawing a walk on six pitches to once again load the bases with no outs.

"Our first 15 pitches of the ninth were all balls," Burleson said. "You know you're in trouble when that happens."

Chad Faircloth singled into right-center field to score Jose Alguacil and trim Lancaster's lead to a precarious two runs.

It got even closer when Adonis Harrison mishandled a toss from Ramon Vazquez on a ground ball by Dan McKinley. The play allowed Matt Priess to score and still left the bases loaded with no outs.

"I know what Adonis was trying to do on that play," Burleson said. "He was trying to barehand the ball and make the double play, rather than making sure he got the out. That's what I told him is `you've got to make sure you get that out.' "

But that's when Scheffer started to take over. He got Art Baeza to send a full-count weak fly ball down the right-field line. Lancaster right fielder Matt Sachse had to run a long way, but made the play.

Tim Flaherty then worked Scheffer to a full count after the Lancaster right-hander jumped ahead 0-2. But Scheffer reached back and blew a fastball by the Bakersfield designated hitter for the strikeout.

"He tried to get him out with three straight sliders, and he wouldn't bite," Burleson said. "That was a big-time fastball against a pretty good fastball hitter."

All that remained for Scheffer to pick up his ninth save of the season was a strikeout of Don Denbow, which he accomplished on four pitches.

"I just knew I had to throw strikes," Scheffer said. "We didn't want the streak to end that way."

Although the JetHawks had to scramble to hold on to the victory, they held a rather comfortable lead throughout the game for the first time in the series.

The JetHawks jumped on top with three runs in the top of the first, two of which scored on Sachse's two-out double off the right-field wall.

Lancaster added two runs in the eighth, courtesy of three Bakersfield errors. As it turned out, those two unearned runs proved to be the difference.

"I think this game could be a big lift for us," Burleson said. "We all know how crazy baseball can be, but losing a four-run lead in the ninth would have been tough."