Lancaster blows another early lead

Lancaster scored the first two runs Sunday against San Jose, but watched the Giants score nine unanswered runs to cruise to a 9-2 win before 1,737 fans at Municipal Stadium.

The JetHawks, who fell two games under .500 in the second half with the loss, have now seen early leads slip away in nine games during the last two weeks. Seven of those games ended up as Lancaster losses.

The JetHawks also lost early leads in the first two games at San Jose, but managed to salvage a split as they manufactured their own comeback to claim a win Friday. On Saturday, San Jose made a 4-0 Lancaster advantage vanish with six runs in the bottom of the second, as the Giants held on for the victory.

Sunday, Matt Sachse gave the JetHawks a 2-0 lead when he belted a second-inning two-run home run, his third of the season but his first since he dislocated his thumb in early May. Sachse's blast, which drove in Luis Tinoco, just cleared the outstretched glove of Angel Melendez in right field.

Unfortunately, that was one of only three hits the JetHawks managed in the game. Tinoco singled in the second to set up Sachse, while Jayson Bass picked up his 18th double of the season.

The only other Lancaster batters to reach base were Cirilo Cruz Jr., who walked twice, and Chris Dean, who walked once.

Masashi Kiyono, who made his first start for San Jose, was mainly responsible for the JetHawks' offensive struggles. He picked up his first win by holding Lancaster to only two runs through five innings. Bill Malloy and Eric Johnson finished Lancaster off, allowing only one base runner through the final four innings.

Brian Fuentes dropped to 4-5 after he allowed seven runs, six of which were earned, on five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Kevin Gryboski had a good outing in relief, allowing only one unearned run on three hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings.

The JetHawks were charged with three errors in the game.

Bus trouble

The JetHawks thought they had it bad when they had to make the seven-hour bus ride from San Jose to Lake Elsinore late Sunday and early Monday morning.

Little did they know they'd run into some mechanical problems with their bus at 1 a.m. Fortunately the troubles occurred near a bus yard in Salinas, where the JetHawks transferred their gear to a new bus and were back on their way after a delay of just less than an hour.

Lancaster finally arrived at the team hotel in Lake Elsinore around 4 a.m. Monday morning.

The bad news is they have to make a similar trip to Modesto from Lake Elsinore after Wednesday's game.

Full strength

For the first time since July 2 when Joel Ramirez was promoted to Class AA Orlando, the JetHawks have a full 25-man roster.

Right-handed pitcher Joel Pineiro joined Lancaster in Lake Elsinore Monday. He is expected to make his first start as a JetHawk Thursday against Modesto.

Pineiro was 7-4 with a 3.40 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 90 innings with Class A Wisconsin through July 5 and was selected to the Midwest League All-Star team.

"I had a chance to work with him in spring training, and I was really impressed," pitching coach Jim Slaton said. "He shows a lot of maturity for a young pitcher."

The native of Rio Pedres, Dominican Republic, won't turn 20 until September 25.

Rotation shuffle

Pineiro essentially will move into Greg Wooten's spot in the starting rotation.

Wooten did not make the trip with the JetHawks so he could see a doctor even though he's not experiencing any pain. The Mariners are concerned because Wooten's velocity hasn't reached the point where it was prior to an elbow injury he suffered in spring training.

John Kelly will come out of the bullpen to start tonight in what would have been Wooten's spot. Jason Bond will start Wednesday, allowing Pineiro the full five day's rest from his last start in Wisconsin.

After Pineiro's start Thursday, everyone else in the rotation will be bumped back one day. Lancaster will start John Thompson on Friday, Fuentes Saturday and Julio Ayala Sunday against Modesto.