Stockton muscles its way for win

No doubt pleased to be out of pitcher-friendly Billy Hebert Field, Stockton pounded out three homers to swamp Lancaster.

Coming into Friday's game at Lancaster Municipal Stadium, the Ports had slugged just four home runs in their first 14 games of 1999, placing them last in the league. Shortstop Chris Rowan, who came into the game with two homers, was the only Stockton player with more than one.

But as is often the case, The Hangar can do wonders for a team's power rankings.

Rowan raised his tally to three with a three-run blast in the second inning, while Greg Schaub and Jeff Deardorff hit back-to-back homers in the sixth to help Stockton flex its muscle in a 10-5 victory over the JetHawks before 2,593 fans on a chilly night in the Antelope Valley.

Lancaster's loss was its second straight and its fifth consecutive setback at The Hangar. The JetHawks dropped to 1-6 at home, compared to their 6-3 mark on the road.

Despite throwing the best game of his three starts to date, Russ Koehler (0-2) took the loss. The right-hander was charged with five runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out four.

The three unearned runs all came on the homer by Rowan, Stockton's No. 9 hitter. Earlier in the inning, Lancaster shortstop Ramon Valera was charged with his fifth error of the season and the first of two charged to the JetHawks on Friday. That made the runs unearned.

After rebounding to pitch scoreless third, fourth and fifth innings, Koehler's night came to an unfortunate end three pitches into Schaub's at-bat in the sixth. With a 2-1 count, Koehler motioned to the dugout for manager Darrin Garner and trainer Troy McIntosh to come to the mound, and he left the game.

Brian Sweeney, who was informed before the game that he finally had earned a promotion to Class AA New Haven after spending the last three years with Lancaster, came on to relieve Koehler and make a farewell appearance to The Hangar faithful.

It's not one the 24-year-old right-hander from Yonkers, N.Y., will want to remember.

Schaub hammered Sweeney's first offering over the left-center field fence for a two-run homer, giving the Ports a more comfortable 6-3 lead.

Schaub's rocket barely had landed when Deardorff ripped Sweeney's second pitch of the night over the fence in straightaway center. It was the first time consecutive Stockton batters had hit home runs this season.

After his inauspicious beginning, Sweeney ended up allowing four earned runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out four in 2 2/3 innings of work.

Lancaster attempted to rally in the eighth inning when Valera drew a leadoff walk and scored on Luis Figueroa's single up the middle. Mike Marchiano, who went 3for-5 with an RBI, also scored on the play to draw Lancaster within three, 8-5, when Stockton center fielder Jason Fox misplayed the ball for a two-base error.

Figueroa was left standing at third base, though, and that was as close as the JetHawks would come. Stockton made sure of that by tagging on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth.

Stockton starter Paul Stewart (3-0) earned the win despite allowing more earned runs (three in six innings) than he had in his previous 11 innings of work this season (two).