No home cooking as JetHawks fall again

San Jose scored five runs on six hits in the seventh inning to break an 8-8 tie and send Lancaster to its ninth loss in 10 games

By BRETT PAPE
Valley Press Staff Writer

It never happened.

After enduring their worst road trip of the season with eight losses in nine games, the JetHawks suffered yet another setback Thursday night in a 17-8 loss to the streaking Giants.

Lancaster has lost nine of its last 10 games and dropped to a franchise-worst 35 games under .500.

While the JetHawks are reeling, San Jose has won a seasonhigh 10 straight.

"It's frustrating," Lancaster coach Darren Garner said of the team's troubles. "Eight runs should be enough to win a game, but we give up 17."

Struggling reliever Justin Kaye gave up five runs on six hits and hit a batter in the seventh inning as the Giants turned an 8-8 tie into a 13-8 lead. Since last Friday, Kaye (2-5) has suffered two losses.

Kaye was one of three Lancaster players to participate in the California-Carolina leagues AllStar Game at Lake Elsinore. Kaye has struggled since the break, picking up just one save after entering the second half with nine.

"(Kaye) showed some signs of getting better," Garner said. "Then he just lost it. He just gave up. . . at least that's what it looked like to me.

"You just have to keep going. You got suck it up when your struggling."

After Kaye left after one inning, Juan Ramos entered in the top of the eighth and struggled just as much.

Ramos gave up four runs in two innings and watched San Jose build a 17-8 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

JetHawks starter Patrick Dunham, who was making his second start since being called up from Peoria of the rookie-level Arizona League, lasted just 3 innings. He gave up six runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Dunham (0-1) lasted just four innings in his first start with the JetHawks in a loss at Modesto last week.

Dunham was one of the top Lancaster pitchers in 1998, collecting a 9-5 record with a 3.46 ERA.

Dunham started strong, retiring the side in order in the first inning with a strikeout. San Jose failed to get the ball out of the infield in the inning.

The right-hander, however, ran into trouble in the second as the Giants scored three runs on two hits and three walks. William Otero had the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run single to left.

After the JetHawks failed to score in the second, the Giants added two runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead.

Dunham finally got some help from the JetHawks' offense in the bottom of the third when Lancaster scored five runs on four hits. Jermaine Clark, Alex Fernandez and Joel Ramirez all had RBI hits in the inning.

Clark and Ramirez also registered an RBI each in the fourth inning as Lancaster took its first lead at 7-6. Jason Regan opened the inning with a double and scored on Ramirez's groundout. Harvey Hargrove scored on Clark's infield single.

Clark had three hits and three RBI for the JetHawks. Cirilo Cruz also had three hits.

Uploaded July 30, 1999