Victory leaves Lancaster one step away

Jayson Bass scored on a High Desert error in the eighth inning as Lancaster clinched at least a tie for the wildcard spot in the Cal League playoffs

The High Desert Mavericks, who have now lost eight games in a row, have committed an uncharacteristic 18 errors during their late-season skid.

Probably none of them were as costly as No. 18, which allowed Jayson Bass to score the winning run in the top of the eighth inning of a 4-3 Lancaster victory Saturday before 4,486 fans at Maverick Stadium.

"This is the type of game where you don't expect something like that to happen that late in the game," said Bass, who also hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. "You expect a team like that to come out and play solid defense. . . We just took advantage of their mistake."

Lancaster certainly did take advantage, as it claimed at least a share of the Valley Division wildcard berth into the playoffs with the win. Even though Modesto held on for a 4-3 win over San Jose at John Thurman Field Saturday, Lancaster enters the final day of the regular season with a onegame lead in the race.

The JetHawks need only a win today or a Modesto loss to claim the wild-card berth outright. If the JetHawks get neither, Lancaster will travel to Modesto Monday for a one-game playoff with the A's to determine which team receives the final berth into the Cal League playoffs.

"It's nice to be in some sort of playoff," Burleson said. "I'm happy for these guys who have played so hard the last 20 days. . . But we'd definitely like to avoid that onegame playoff."

High Desert, which has already wrapped up a playoff berth by winning the Valley Division secondhalf title, still trails San Jose by one game in its quest to claim the best record in the league and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

The Mavericks will likely kick themselves for letting Saturday's game get away, even though they never led.

Rod Barajas' deep sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Adam Neubart from third base to tie the game, 3-3, and seemed to give the Mavericks the emotional edge.

But Lancaster answered when Bass singled back up the middle off High Desert reliever Jason Crews (7-7). Bass took second on a wild pitch, and looked like he'd be standing on third base with two outs in the inning when Matt Sachse grounded to second baseman Jackie Rexrode, who had missed the last six games with a bruised heel.

Rexrode's throw to first base was low and outside, though, and rolled away from first baseman Jarrod Patterson. The error, which was the only one by either side, allowed Bass to trot home uncontested and give the JetHawks the lead.

"We've been on that side too," Burleson said. "It doesn't matter how you get (victories) at this point of the season, just as long as you get them."

Although Lancaster held the lead, its work was far from finished.

Pete Janicki (2-3), who received the win after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowed a one-out single to Juan Bautista and walked Rexrode in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Burleson immediately made a call for closer Kevin Gryboski.

"He's been doing a real good job for us recently," Burleson said.

Gryboski didn't disappoint, as he got Neubart to fly out in foul territory on his first pitch and fielded a grounder from Patterson two pitches later to end the threat.

Gryboski then worked a perfect ninth to pick up his eighth save of the season and his second in as many nights.

"This is the first time I've pitched back-to-back games," Gryboski said. "My arm felt good, and I told them I could go. . . (Pitching coach Jim Slaton) thought I could do the job, and I went out and did it."

John Thompson pitched well enough to help the JetHawks to a 3-2 lead when he left after 5 2/3 innings. Thompson, who breezed through the first three innings, left after allowing the two earned runs on five hits, five walks, a hit batter and recording four strikeouts.

Lancaster jumped out to an early lead when Anton French's sacrifice fly scored Sachse, who opened the second with a double. Cirilo Cruz Jr. made the score 2-0 on Jason Regan's bloop single.