Nightmare continues as 'Hawks take step back

Steve Green tossed his league-ending fourth shutout of the season as Lake Elsinore routed visiting Lancaster.

Every time the Lancaster JetHawks take a step forward, they end up taking three or four in the opposite direction.

About the best news for the team is that only 28 games remain in a season that has tested the patience and resolve of nearly everyone involved with the organization.

Of the JetHawks' 74 losses so far in 1999, Friday night's 12-0 setback against Lake Elsinore before 3,776 fans at The Diamond certainly ranked among the ugliest in a season full of disappointing performances.

Steve Green went the distance for the Storm for his league-leading fourth shutout of the season.

"The guy threw a heck of a game," Lancaster hitting coach Dana Williams said. "He shoved it up our (butt)."

The loss dropped Lancaster to a minor league-worst 38-74 record overall, matching the franchise low of 36 games under .500, and 15-27 in the second half.

Lancaster starter Brandon Parker and manager Darrin Garner may have been the luckiest people in the ballpark Friday. Both were ejected in the top of the third inning before the score really started to get lopsided.

"After last night's win, these guys should have been up," Garner said. "We just didn't get the job done."

Every facet of the JetHawks' game failed them Friday as they dropped their 14th game in their last 18 outings.

Offensively, the JetHawks managed only five hits and seven baserunners as they were shut out for the seventh time this year. The last shutout came June 6 at Rancho Cucamonga.

The JetHawks' only serious threat came in the eighth inning when they loaded the bases. But Cirilo Cruz struck out for the final out of the frame.

Prior to that inning, Green (7-7) needed only 58 pitches, 42 of which he threw for strikes, to get through the first seven innings.

"The guy had good movement on his pitches," Williams said. "He threw real well."

Green didn't allow a walk, although he did hit Alex Fernandez in the second inning, and struck out seven.

By comparison, Parker threw only 30 of his 64 pitches for strikes before he was ejected from the game with one out in the third by home plate umpire John Bullock for hitting Jason Dewey with a pitch.

Parker's previous pitch went behind Dewey's back, and Bullock felt Parker was intentionally throwing at the Lake Elsinore catcher. Garner was ejected during the ensuing argument while trying to defend his pitcher.

At the time, Lancaster trailed only 2-0, but Dewey's free pass loaded the bases for the Storm.

Reliever Allan Simpson walked the first two batters he faced, forcing in two runs, before Jay Hood's two-run double completed a sixrun inning. Lake Elsinore needed only two hits in the inning as Parker and Simpson combined to walk four and hit another.

"We needed (Simpson) to come in and pick us up with a ground ball or something," Garner said. "I didn't see it, but it didn't sound like he was aggressive."

Parker (7-5) was charged with five earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out two in 2 innings of work. Simpson, who made his second appearance as a JetHawk, allowed another four runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out three in 2 innings.

The JetHawks announced three player moves prior to the game. Outfielder Wilfredo Quintana was sent to Class A Everett, while shortstop Marco Estrada was promoted to Class AA New Haven. In return, the JetHawks will receive catcher Juan Alcala from Everett.