Unlikely hero lifts Giants over `Hawks

San Jose's slumping outfielder Mike Glendenning broke through with four hits, including a home run as the Giants beat Lancaster

The San Jose left fielder entered the game hitting .183 with one home run with nine RBI after being demoted from Class AA Shreveport July 11. While with the Captains, Glendenning hit only .244 with seven home runs and 33 RBI in 78 games.

But on Tuesday, the 21-year-old from West Hills must have found whatever he was missing from last season, when he was one of the more dangerous hitters in the Cal League during the second half with Bakersfield. Glendenning went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, three RBI, a double and a home run to lead the Giants to a 9-2 victory over the JetHawks before 2,820 fans at The Hangar.

``I just keep coming out and try to get better every night,'' Glendenning said.

Some of Glendenning's troubles earlier this season were related to a right wrist injury, which landed him on the disabled list for seven days.

But he says that injury hasn't been bothering him recently. It certainly didn't appear to Tuesday, as Glendenning once again began to look like the player that tied for the Cal League home run championship last year with 33.

``This is a great situation,'' he said. ``This is a good team that is going to the playoffs. . . It feels pretty comfortable here. I'd rather be back here than somewhere else.''

Glendenning wasn't the only Giant to pound Lancaster pitching Tuesday, though, as San Jose gathered 17 hits. Michael Byas and Carlos Campusano both had three hits and scored two runs.

Campusano, who entered the game with a .143 batting average, had the biggest hit of the night, as his triple just inside third base scored both Glendenning and Chris Van Rossum to break a 2-2 tie. Campusano also scored in the inning on a ground out by Byas.

``That was a big hit,'' JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. ``I like the way he plays defense, though. I think on any other team he would be the everyday shortstop.''

As it turned out, Campusano's hit was all the Giants would need, as San Jose starter Masashi Kiyono (2-2) held the JetHawks to only four hits and three walks through his 5 1/3 innings of work.

``He did a good job holding us to four hits,'' Burleson said. ``It's hard to win in this park when you are held to four hits in the first six innings and only score two runs.''

The JetHawks' offensive troubles were the second consecutive time starter John Thompson (0-4) has had a relatively solid night go for a loss.

Backing up a two-run performance over seven innings last Thursday in Stockton that ended in a loss, Thompson held San Jose to two runs through the first five innings. He did allow 10 hits and a walk in six innings, but none of them were very costly until Campusano's triple.

``He pitched all right tonight,'' Burleson said. ``He got behind in the count a couple of times and that triple hurt. He didn't pitch as well as he did last time, but he did a good job.''

Unfortunately, the only support he got was Jayson Bass' two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, which erased a 1-0 San Jose lead. But San Jose quickly tied the game in the top of the fifth when Giuseppe Chiaramonte singled in Byas.

Lancaster had a chance to jump back in the game in the bottom of the sixth, but San Jose turned a key bases-loaded double play to end the threat.

``You have to give them credit, they catch the ball and throw it over the plate,'' Burleson said. ``They got the big double play when we were threatening to take the lead back.''