JetHawks find needed consistency

Lancaster played flawless for the second game in a row, clinching its first series victory on its current 13-game road trip behind the pitching of Joel Pineiro

But, as the trip draws to a close, the JetHawks finally are beginning to show some semblance of consistency that was missing during the trip. But not even manager Rick Burleson dreamed his team would look this good two nights in a row.

One night after Lancaster shut out Stockton in the opener of a three-game series at Billy Hebert Field, the JetHawks scored another impressive victory Wednesday, downing the Ports 9-0 before 698 Stockton faithful.

``This is how High Desert and San Jose play on back-to-back nights,'' Burleson said. ``It's nice to see that we can do the same thing.''

Joel Pineiro, who was making only his second start as a JetHawk, pitched the JetHawks' third complete-game shutout of the season to improve his record to 2-0.

``I just came out and tried to throw strikes,'' Pineiro said. ``I wanted to continue to be aggressive with hitters, the same way I always have.''

The win not only improved Lancaster's record to 5-7 on their current 13-game road trip, but also assured the team of its first series victory on the trip.

Prior to the Stockton series, Lancaster had lost back-to-back three-game series with San Jose and Lake Elsinore 2-1, before Modesto won three of four games against the JetHawks.

Lancaster will try to complete the sweep of the Ports and finish the brutal trip with a respectable 6-7 mark in tonight's series finale.

``We've got to come out and try to win (tonight's) game and then go home and keep winning,'' shortstop Ramon Vazquez said. ``We have to keep it going.''

Much like they did the night before, the JetHawks used outstanding pitching, solid defense, and a productive offense to claim the win.

Following in the footsteps of Jason Bond, who pitched seven strong innings to claim the win Tuesday, Pineiro, who picked up his first Cal League win in his Lancaster debut at Modesto last week, was nearly flawless Wednesday in his second outing.

The 19-year-old right-hander from Puerto Rico held the Ports to four hits and a walk. The only other blemish on his night were two hit batsmen, but Pineiro struck out nine.

``He just did another outstanding job,'' Burleson said. ``He threw strikes, and that's what you have to do in this game.''

The Ports could not get more than one runner on base at the same time until Vazquez had a potential double-play ball roll under his glove with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Vazquez quickly made up for the mistake, starting an inning-ending double play one batter later.

That play helped preserve Lancaster's ninth shutout of the season and the second in as many nights.

Much like Bond the night before, Pineiro was the benefactor of a comfortable lead provided by the Lancaster offense, which seems to have burst out of the slump it was in during the early portion of the road trip.

``My teammates gave me a big lead, and that makes everything a lot easier,'' Pineiro said.

The JetHawks, who pounded Stockton pitchers for 16 hits and 14 runs Tuesday, picked up 11 hits and six walks Wednesday.

Cirlo Cruz Jr. led the charge by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two doubles. Jayson Bass also had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored.

The JetHawks took control of the game with six runs on five hits and an error in the top of the third inning.

The inning was highlighted by Bass' two-run double into right field and Vazquez's two-out single into left-center, which also plated two runs.

``That was a big hit, because it made our lead go from four to six,'' Burleson said.

Lancaster did not add to the 6-0 advantage until Bass singled in Cruz and Jason Regan in the seventh inning.