'Hawks snap skid, Cruz to win in 10th

Cirilo Cruz Jr. delivered an RBI single in the 10th inning, breaking a 5-5 tie and sending Lancaster to a victory over Rancho Cucamonga

With one out in the top of the 10th inning and runners standing on first and second, Cirilo Cruz Jr. stepped into the batter's box at The Epicenter.

Even though Cruz feels he's been in a bit of a slump recently, the Cal League's leading RBI producer didn't disappoint as his single up the middle scored Chris Dean from second base. Lancaster went on to a 7-5 extra-inning victory over Rancho Cucamonga before 3,875 fans on a hazy night in the Inland Empire.

"Cirilo's been struggling a little, but he got a flare to right field (in the seventh), and that seemed to get him going," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "He's been one of our most consistent hitters all year."

Lancaster remained within two games of Modesto in the race for the Valley Division's wild-card playoff berth with the win despite the ejection of both Burleson and coach Charlie Lee.

"Right now, we've just got to keep finding ways to win," Cruz said. "I really want a chance to go to the playoffs."

Cruz has been frustrated that he hasn't been able to help in that run recently. Even though he's gone 7-for-23 in his last six games entering Thursday, the Lancaster first baseman had trouble coming up with a big hit to drive in runs.

"I left a few guys on earlier tonight," Cruz said. "I haven't been seeing the ball well. . . I talked to Rick (in the tunnel) and he told me to throw the bat in front of the ball. That's all I did was throw my hands out and we got a big run."

After Cruz recorded his 93rd RBI of the season, Francisco Santiestaban followed with another shot back up the middle to score Giomar Guevara from third and give the JetHawks a two-run cushion.

"Those were two big hits," Burleson said. "They both came through big for us."

Kevin Gryboski, who came on in the eighth inning, pitched a perfect bottom half of the 10th, striking out two for the victory and improving his record to 4-5.

The win ended the JetHawks' three-game losing streak and released some of their frustration after being swept at home by Modesto in three games.

"This was a big win for us," Burleson said. "Of course, every win is big for us now. We showed that we're not going to lay down."

It looked early like the frustrations might continue, though.

Burleson was tossed from the game by home plate umpire Tyler Hoffman with one out in the bottom of the third inning for arguing the strike zone. The ejection was the third of the season for Burleson, who recently completed a twogame suspension for a bumping and shoving confrontation with umpire Ryan Bleiberg after being ejected from a July 17 game at Modesto.

Burleson also refused to go quietly Thursday, as he stormed out of the Lancaster dugout, stood at the plate, and motioned to his knees and the middle of his chest to indicate where Hoffman's strike zone should be.

"We didn't agree on his strike zone," Burleson said. "I felt he was squeezing (starter Joel Pineiro) and wasn't giving him the low pitch whether it was the fastball or the breaking ball."

Unfortunately for the JetHawks, Burleson wasn't the only Lancaster coach to disagree with Thursday's umpiring crew. Lee was thrown out by base umpire Toby Hoy for arguing after Dean was called out at second base for the third out in the top of the sixth.

Dean had been caught off first, but appeared to beat Brian McClure's tag at second base, bringing the argument from Lee. After Hoy ejected Lee, the Lancaster coach appeared to bump chests with Hoy. Hoffman immediately separated the two. The ejection was Lee's second of the season.

Both Lee and Burleson ended up missing what turned out to be a relatively good game, as Lancaster stormed back from two runs down.

Matt Sachse hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth and Guevara scored on Jayson Bass' single over a drawn-in Rancho Cucamonga infield in the seventh to tie the game at 5-5.