Scoreless streak extended to 23

Failing to produce an offense, Lancaster dropped 17 games under .500 as Rancho Cucamonga completed the series sweep with its second straight shutout.

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

Saturday, the Lancaster JetHawks couldn't convert any of their scoring opportunities. Sunday, they had problems even producing them.

The results were the same, though.

Rancho Cucamonga righthander Wascar Serrano threw a shutout as the Quakes capped a series sweep with a 3-0 victory before 6,135 fans at The Epicenter.

The Quakes (31-26) blanked the JetHawks for the second consecutive game and shut out an opponent for the ninth time this season. In the process, Rancho won its season-high sixth in a row.

The JetHawks (20-37), on the other hand, lost their third straight and dropped to a franchise-low 17 games under .500.

"We just had no offense today," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "That's the bottom line."

Actually, the JetHawks haven't had any offense since Ricky Magdaleno tripled in Joel Ramirez and Harvey Hargrove in the fourth inning of the series opener with the Quakes on Friday night. In the 23 innings since, Lancaster has been outscored 13-0.

But while the JetHawks got plenty of opportunities to score Saturday, going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, Lancaster's scoring chances were few and far between Sunday.

The JetHawks managed only seven baserunners. Two of those were caught stealing and a third was erased on an inning-ending double play in the eighth.

Only five batters came to the plate with runners in scoring position, and none of them managed to convert.

"When we did get runners on, we didn't capitalize," Garner said.

The main obstacle in the JetHawks' way Sunday was Serrano, who improved to 4-5 by limiting the visitors to five hits and a walk. The 21-year-old Dominican Republic native also moved within one strikeout of the Cal League lead by fanning eight JetHawks. He has 78 on the season.

"The guy threw a heck of a ballgame," Garner said of the Quakes' starter, who was selected to the California League All-Star team. "He moved his pitches in and out and worked both his fastball and slider."

Serrano, who topped out at 94 mph, threw 74 of his 104 pitches for strikes.

The JetHawks twice got runners to third against him but failed to score. The first came in the third after Hargrove drew a leadoff walk, stole second and took third on Rafael Lopez's groundout. But Hargrove was stranded when Alex Fernandez bounced out to shortstop Matt Halloran.

The second came two innings later when back-to-back one-out singles by Greg Connors and Hargrove gave the JetHawks runners on the corners. But Hargrove missed a sign and was thrown out attempting to steal second. Cirilo Cruz Jr. struck out for the third out.

The JetHawks' only other serious threat to Serrano came in the eighth when Hargrove reached on an error and Cruz singled. But Lopez bounced into an inning-ending double play.

Lancaster starter Neil Longo (2-2) went pitch-for-pitch with Serrano through the first four innings, but the Quakes finally touched him for a run in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to take the victory.

"I've faced this guy twice before, so I knew it was going to be rough," said Longo, who received a no-decision and a win in his first two appearances against the Quakes and Serrano. "I knew I just had to keep getting outs, but he didn't let up."

Longo was charged with two earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three in seven innings of work. He lost his second consecutive decision.

The JetHawks will try to stop their 23-inning scoreless streak and three-game slide Tuesday when they entertain the Quakes.