Stockton continues to pound McClaskey

Stockton continued to hit reliever Tim McClaskey hard, scoring five earned runs in the sixth and seventh innings to break open a tie game and beat Lancaster.

It is unlikely that he'll pitch in today's series finale against the Ports, which marks the last time the two teams will meet in 1999.

But Stockton has already done enough damage to the right-hander to last a lifetime.

The Ports roughed up McClaskey for five earned runs in the sixth and seventh innings to break open a tie game and claim a 13-8 victory over Lancaster on Sunday.

"It is just one of those things," Lancaster manager Darrin Garner said. "There's really no words for it. They just hit him well."

The JetHawks drew 2,646 fans for the game to go over the one-million fans drawn plateau in just over 3 1/2 seasons in the Antelope Valley.

The Ports spoiled the celebration just a little, snapping Lancaster's three-game win streak. The JetHawks (10-14, 33-61) were attempting to win four games in a row for the first time this season.

It looked for a while as if they might have had a chance to do that, as they entered the top of the sixth tied with the Ports, 8-8.

McClaskey entered the game to start the sixth in relief of Jason Turman, who threw four solid innings in relief of starter Russ Koehler, who didn't make it out of the first inning.

McClaskey had faced the Ports three times previously without much success.

In a May 1 game at Billy Hebert Field, the 22-year-old took one for the team, allowing 13 earned runs on 12 hits and three walks in 3 innings of work.

He didn't fare much better June 26 at Stockton, when he allowed a game-winning homer to Nick Caiazzo in the 11th inning.

It was more of the same story Sunday.

"Everybody has those teams that they either do well against or struggle against," Garner said. "When I was a player, there were some teams like the Giants I used to love to play."

It's safe to say McClaskey probably doesn't like to face the Ports, who entered the game with a .281 team batting average and gathered 16 hits against Lancaster Sunday.

McClaskey hit the first batter he faced, Garret Osilka, before allowing back-to-back singles to Jose Colon and Ramy Beatriz. Beatriz's hit scored Osilka to break the tie, before Caiazzo's one-out base hit scored Colon and Beatriz to give the Ports an 11-8 lead.

Colon added a two-run homer in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

In his four appearances against the Ports, McClaskey has allowed 20 earned runs on 22 hits and three walks in 8 innings of work. He has an 0-2 record and a 20.76 ERA.

Against the rest of the league, McClaskey has a respectable 3-1 mark and a 3.72 ERA.

All four Lancaster pitchers Sunday were hurt badly by the top half of the Stockton lineup. The first five Ports in the batting order went a combined 13-for-23 with seven runs scored and 10 RBI. Caiazzo led the way by going 3-for-5 with five RBI.

"They lost some pretty good players, but they still swing the bats real well," Garner said. "They go up there and they're aggressive and they have some success."

The Ports' performance Sunday spoiled an impressive comeback by Lancaster after they fell in an early sixrun hole.

The JetHawks rallied for seven runs in the bottom of the second to claim the lead. Patrick Williams capped off the rally with a two-run home run, his ninth of the season since joining the team at the all-star break.

"Both teams were hitting the ball well," outfielder Harvey Hargrove said. "What were there, (27) hits? They just outscored us."

Uploaded July 19, 1999