Bakersfield mistakes help 'Hawks keep pace

Five Bakersfield errors helped Lancaster take a big lead as it kept pace with Modesto in the Valley Division wild-card race

On Wednesday, the Blaze gave it back.

Bakersfield committed five errors to help the Lancaster JetHawks to a 12-5 victory at Sam Lynn Ballpark. The Blaze have been charged with nine errors in the first two nights of the threegame series and have committed at least five errors in a game six times this season.

"They gave us a lot of help with the way they played defensively," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said.

The JetHawks were more than willing to take the help, though, as they remained one game behind Modesto in the Valley Division wild-card race. The A's were 1-0 winners over Visalia.

Lancaster scored six runs in the top of the fifth on six hits, two walks and two Bakersfield errors to erase what was a 5-3 Blaze lead.

"They made a couple of errors that helped us out," said Brendan Kingman, who got the inning started with a two-out, two-run homer. "But that was a big inning, especially when you consider we didn't have anybody on with two outs."

The big inning also kept the JetHawks' record a perfect 6-0 when Joel Pineiro starts. Pineiro has only received two of those victories, though, and he didn't factor into Wednesday's decision because he lasted only four innings.

Instead, the win went to reliever John Kelly, who threw four scoreless innings. He struck out seven in the process.

"I think that was the story of the game," Burleson said. "(Kelly) did a great job for us. There was so much of the game left when he came in."

Kelly was forced to enter earlier than expected after Pineiro started to struggle with his control. The 19-year old right-hander looked strong early, when he retired the side in the first inning on only seven pitches - all strikes.

But his next eight pitches were all balls, and Matt Priess' single loaded the bases with no outs in the second.

Pineiro almost wiggled his way out of the jam by retiring the next two batters, but walked Marco Pernalete to force in a run and cut the JetHawks' lead to one run, 2-1. Lancaster built the two-run advantage thanks to two Bakersfield errors and a passed ball.

After an easy third inning, Pineiro again struggled in the fourth when the Blaze touched him for four runs on three hits to take their first and only lead of the game, 5-3.

Pineiro left after allowing the five earned runs on four hits and six walks while striking out five. He was in line for his first loss.

But once again, his teammates found a way to keep him perfect in the Cal League. This time it took a six-run rally in the fifth inning.

Anton French started the rally by drawing a walk. Kingman then worked Macey to a full count before rocketing a game-tying home run over the left-field wall.

"It was a changeup," Kingman said. "He threw me a changeup 3-1 and 3-2. I was looking fastball, but he served up another changeup."

Jason Regan followed with a double, before Cruz and Matt Sachse picked up back-to-back infield singles. Regan scored on a throwing error charged to William Otero after Cruz's infield single to give the JetHawks a 6-5 lead.

That advantage grew to 8-5 when Luis Tinoco singled in Cruz and Sachse scored on a throwing error by right fielder Brett Casper. Tinoco, who moved to third on that error, crossed the plate on Chris Dean's single.

Despite the errors in the inning, five of six runs charged to Macey were earned. In all, the JetHawks scored four unearned runs in the game.

Kelly took care of the rest, as he and Geronimo Newton held the Blaze scoreless the rest of the way.

"It's real import to go out there and put up a zero after a big inning," Kelly said. "If you don't, the game is going to go back and fourth. You've got to shut them down and make your lead stand."