Mistakes reappear in 'Hawks' road loss

After not committing an error in 34 innings, Lancaster had four miscues in a loss to Lake Elsinore

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

The Lancaster JetHawks keep telling themselves that.

One of these days, they'll go on a winning streak that lasts longer than one day.

But that day still hasn't come.

Lancaster, which hadn't committed an error in 34 innings entering Thursday's game in Lake Elsinore, was charged with four, including one pivotal miscue in the eighth inning that allowed the Storm to grab a 5-3 victory before an announced crowd of 2,079 at The Diamond.

"We are frustrated," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "We got in a game we felt we could win and couldn't get it done. We made too many mistakes, and you can't do that in close games."

Pinch hitter Rafael Lopez grounded out on a 3-1 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth inning to seal Lancaster's fate.

The JetHawks (13-21) haven't won consecutive games since they took three in a row April 9-12. Those were the second, third and fourth games of the season. Since then, Lancaster only has won 10 of 30.

"We have got to start putting some wins together," Lancaster second baseman Jermaine Clark said.

The bottom of the Lake Elsinore lineup was the streak killer for the JetHawks Thursday. The Storm seven, eight and nine hitters combined to go 5-for-10 and score four of Lake Elsinore's five runs.

Steven Hagins, Jay Hood and Nelson Castro also were part of the game-winning eighth inning for Lake Elsinore.

With the game tied 3-3, Lancaster reliever Brian Carmody (1-2) hit Hagins with the second pitch of the inning, then allowed him to reach second base with a balk caused by a miscommunication between Carmody and first baseman Cirilo Cruz Jr.

The left-hander exited the game after he walked Hood on four pitches, giving way to Juan Ramos. After Castro hit into a fielder's choice ground out, the Storm had runners at the corners.

That was until Ramos attempted to pick off Castro at first base. The throw got away from Cruz, allowing Hagins to trot home with the winning run. Cruz was charged with the error.

Castro also scored on Jeb Dougherty's single later in the inning.

"It was a tight game, and we made too many mental mistakes, especially in that eighth inning," Garner said. "With the game on the line, you see what everybody has. . . We're a young team, and I think we saw a few of these guys tighten up."

Early on, it looked early like the JetHawks might start a winning streak, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings.

Greg Connors, who like Cal League Player of the Week Luis Figueroa and Clark extended his hit streak to 12 games, opened the fourth with a double into the leftfield corner. Alex Fernandez's single back up the middle scored Connors to give the JetHawks a 1-0 lead.

Lancaster tagged on a run in the fifth, when Clark picked up his third hit of the night with one out, stole second and scored on Figueroa's single up the middle.

But things got rough for Lancaster starter Jason Turman in the bottom half of the inning.

After allowing four hits in the first four innings, Turman surrendered a leadoff single to Hood. Castro doubled him in with his shot into the right-field corner and took third on a throwing error charged to Fernandez.

Castro ended up scoring the tying run on a wild pitch, but would have scored anyway two batters later with Dougherty's fourth home run of the year, which gave the Storm their first lead of the series, 3-2.

But that lead was short lived. In the top of the sixth, Craig Kuzmic blasted a two-out solo home run just right of the backdrop in center field for his third of the year and a 3-3 tie.

Turman lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out one, but didn't factor into the decision.