With Yoda's help, 'Hawks end skid

Lancaster erased a 6-1 deficit and snapped a four-game losing streak by beating High Desert

By JON MICHAELS
Valley Press Staff Writer

Kaboom draped in his Jedi threads, Yoda wandering the stands offering words of wisdom, batters launching pitches into orbit and the JetHawks breaking a four-game losing streak with a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over High Desert on Wednesday night.

After falling behind 6-1, Joel Ramirez led the JetHawks' late charge, going 3-for-4 with three RBI in front of 2,605 Hangar faithful.

Ramirez's seventh-inning single brought home Jermaine Clark with the game-tying run and Ramirez later scored the game-winning run on Greg Connors' RBI single.

"It feels great and it's about time," Ramirez said. "We keep working hard and we needed a game like this where we came from behind. I hope this game changes the mentality for everybody and we can start winning."

While Ramirez was supplying the offense, reliever Tim McClaskey was dominating on the mound.

McClaskey (3-0) entered the game in the sixth inning and allowed only one hit in three innings of work. He fanned four batters, including all three in the seventh inning.

Justin Kaye worked the ninth for his seventh save of the season.

"When we were down 4-1, I told one of the coaches that I knew we were going to win this game," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "I felt so confident tonight. The relievers really kept us in the game, they battled. What more can you ask for from them?"

Earlier in the contest, Abraham Nunez once again proved to be the JetHawks' worst enemy.

The 19-year-old outfielder, who torched the 'Hawks on Tuesday by going 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs scored and two RBI, didn't skip a beat on Wednesday.

Nunez drilled a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, over the left-center field wall in the third inning off Lancaster starter Neil Longo as the Mavericks jumped ahead 4-1.

Nunez's blast scored Belvani Martinez (infield single) and Ron Calloway (hit-by-pitch).

The Mavericks added two runs in the fifth inning on a homer over the right-field scoreboard to increase their lead to 6-1.

But Lancaster shaved four runs off High Desert's lead in the fifth, as Harvey Hargrove's leadoff homer ignited a four-run rally.

Alex Fernandez followed Hargrove's home run with a single and scored a batter later on Scott Maynard's RBI double to cut the lead to 6-3.

After a walk to Clark and a wild pitch, Ramirez plated two more runs on a single to trim the lead to 6-5.

"Offensively, that's the best game Ramirez has played for us," Garner said. "Tonight we did a good job coming up with the clutch hits. And when you do that, you'll win some ball games."

The teams exchanged runs in the opening frame, as the Mavericks cashed in Calloway's third double of the series on an RBI single by Nunez.

Lancaster answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, as Clark, who opened the inning with a walk, scored on Cirilo Cruz's double-play ball.