Saturday night turns all right for JetHawks

Every Saturday night, the Lancaster JetHawks' offense shifts into high gear.

"I think it definitely has to do with the big weekend crowds," second baseman Jermaine Clark said. "We've been struggling, and sometimes it makes it tough to get going. But when you come out and see four grand in the stands, it gets you fired up."

After pounding out 26 hits and eight home runs in their last two Saturday games at home, the JetHawks kept it going against the Stockton Ports.

On this Saturday, much to the delight of the 4,123 fans at The Hangar, the JetHawks pounded out 13 hits and three home runs to take a 12-8 victory.

That crowd brought Lancaster within 1,999 fans of drawing their one-millionth fan in their threeplus seasons in the Antelope Valley.

Lancaster Vice President and General Manager Matt Ellis said that barring a rainout, the team has already sold enough tickets to break that plateau today.

To commemorate the occasion, the JetHawks will allow all fans over the age of 21 to enter a drawing as they enter the stadium for one of three prizes. The drawing will be held during the game.

Along with other prizes, the third-place winner will win a trip to Las Vegas, while the runner-up will receive a trip to San Diego.

The grand-prize winner will receive a six-day, five-night trip to Hawaii that will include airfare, hotel accommodations and rental car and a pair of season tickets for the 2000 season.

Lancaster will become the third-fastest Cal League team to reach one million fans, establishing the mark in their 255th home opening.

The historic crowd will get a chance to watch the JetHawks try to win four consecutive games for the first time this season. Lancaster (10-13, 33-60) won its third straight victory for the third time this season.

Lancaster can only hope to spread its Saturday magic across the rest of the weekend.

"These guys are playing with a lot of confidence right now," Lancaster manager Darrin Garner said. "They're all swinging the bat real well. They're going to the plate and being aggressive, and you see what happens when they do that."

Alex Fernandez, Patrick Williams and Cirilo Cruz all had three hits, and Fernandez and Cruz needed only a triple each to hit for the cycle.

Clark got things started off right for the JetHawks with his leadoff home run in the first inning, his second of the season.

"I had a good (batting practice)," Clark said. "I hit three out in BP, which never happens."

Lancaster actually found itself trailing in the third, though, when Greg Wooten allowed a two-run homer to Jose Colon and a solo blast to Garrett Osilka to give the Ports a 3-1 lead.

But that lead was short-lived. Lancaster loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in the bottom half of the inning to bring up Cruz with two outs.

Cruz rocketed a grand slam over the left-center field wall off Jim Miller's 3-1 pitch to give the JetHawks the lead once again, 5-3.

"(Hitting coach Dana Williams) just told me to swing hard and good things would happen," Cruz said. "I just wanted to swing hard. I wasn't thinking grand slam. But I was happy to help my team."

Lancaster's only other grand slam of the season came June 3 and was hit by Shawn McCorkle, who was placed on the disabled list Saturday with a sore hand.

The JetHawks also sent Daron Kirkreit to Class AA New Haven Saturday to fill in for Ryan Anderson, who was added to the PanAmerican team.

Lancaster broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Joel Ramirez had the big hit of the inning, with his two-run triple down the left-field line. Fernandez also hit a two-run blast in the inning to give the JetHawks an 11-5 lead.

Miller was rocked in his five innings of work, allowing seven earned runs on 12 hits, two walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch and a balk. He struck out five.

Uploaded July 19, 1999