JetHawks leave with series split

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

But for four innings Saturday, they had the golden touch.

Starting pitching - not a problem with Neil Longo on the mound. Defense - also much smoother. Offense - well, anything seems like an improvement over Friday's four-hit performance.

After perhaps their worst overall game of the year, the JetHawks turned things around Saturday to jump out to a six-run lead in the first four innings and held on for an 8-5 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm before 6,706 fans at The Diamond.

"I enjoy seeing these guys bounce back after the night we had (Friday)," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "Now what we have to do is continue it and string a few games like this together."

The win ended a two-game losing skid for the JetHawks and earned them a split in the fourgame series with the Storm.

Prior to the Lake Elsinore series, Lancaster had lost six consecutive series, dating back to April 20-22, when it took two of three at High Desert. The JetHawks return to Maverick Stadium today to begin a three-game set that will wrap up the longest road trip of the season.

"We got a split against a good team on the road," Garner said. "We'll take that for sure. Now we'd like to start stringing a few wins together and get some series wins."

To do that, Lancaster needs to put together more solid team efforts like it did Saturday.

One day after being held to four hits and committing five errors, the JetHawks pounded out 13 hits and were charged with only one miscue, which didn't result in any Storm runs.

Longo (1-0), who was making his second start since being promoted from Class A Wisconsin May 7, took care of the rest. The right-hander allowed four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings of work to grab his first California League victory. He allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out four.

"You have to be on top of your game when you face a team like this," Longo said. "They have a lot of good hitters, so you have to make sure you hit your spots."

Lancaster provided Longo with plenty of offensive support, jumping on top early. Back-to-back RBI singles by Harvey Hargrove and Joel Ramirez completed a four-hit frame for the JetHawks and gave them a 2-0 lead.

That lead swelled to five runs in the top of the third. Luis Figueroa's sacrifice fly plated Jermaine Clark before Cirilo Cruz Jr. doubled in Greg Connors and scored on Alex Fernandez's triple to center field.

"We have some good hitters on this team," Cruz said. "We just need to start being more consistent in everything we do."

Clark scored again in the fourth after Lake Elsinore catcher Steve Hagins threw Clark's bunt attempt into right field, allowing the Lancaster second baseman to motor into third base. Figueroa brought home Clark one batter later to give the JetHawks a 6-0 lead and extend his hitting streak to 14 games in the process.

But Hagins atoned for his mistake in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff home run. Jeb Dougherty added an RBI single to draw the Storm to within four runs.

The Lancaster lead shrank further in the seventh, when Juan Rodriguez greeted Lancaster reliever Tim McClaskey with a single that scored two runs and made the score 6-4.

Lancaster added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and Justin Kaye got the final four outs of the game to pick up his sixth save of the season.