Mears strikes win in return to Hawks

Chris Mears started the game with 16 straight strikes en route to a win over San Bernardino and rehabbing Dodgers second baseman Eric Young

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

Though it was an experience he says he'll never forget, the righthander threw only seven pitches during his two-week absence from the JetHawks while participating in the Pan American Games with Team Canada.

He eclipsed that mark in the first inning alone Sunday against San Bernardino, as he threw 13 pitches, all of which were for strikes. In fact, Mears started the game with 16 straight strikes and threw 27 of his first 31 pitches in the first three innings for strikes.

That was just the beginning for Mears, who pitched eight strong innings to boost the JetHawks to a 4-2 victory over the Stampede before 2,375 fans at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

"We needed that," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "Coming off a strong start by (Greg) Wooten (Saturday), we needed him to come out and give us another strong start. It was a well-pitched game from Mr. Mears."

Lancaster, which won its second in a row, improved to 17-27 in the second half and 40-74 overall. The JetHawks need only one more win to ensure that they avoid 100 losses this season.

Mears, who made his first start since his return from the Pan Am Games, held the Stampede to eight hits while striking out seven and not allowing a walk. Of his 104 pitches in the game, 81 were for strikes.

"I wanted to come back strong," Mears said. "My goal is to have a good final month here in the Cal League. I felt this was a good start toward that."

Mears rarely got into trouble against San Bernardino on Sunday. He faced runners on second and third with one out in the fourth and two outs in the sixth, but managed to escape both jams unblemished.

It wasn't until Ismael Gallo led off the eighth with a single and Eric Riggs followed with a two-run homer to right field that the Stampede even got on the scoreboard against him. But by that point Mears' teammates had already staked him a 4-0 lead.

"He picked us up," Garner said. "We needed him to come out and throw strikes, and that's exactly what he did. He gave us a chance to win."

Mears was put to the test early, as he faced Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Eric Young, who is on a rehabilitation assignment with San Bernardino, to lead off the game. It took Mears six pitches, all of which were strikes, to retire the major leaguer with a popup to second baseman Jermaine Clark.

"You're conscious of (facing a major-league hitter)," Mears said. "You can't not be. But you just try to make your pitches. You just have to throw strikes and get him out, same as anybody else."

Mears also struck out Young in the third inning, before the eighthyear major leaguer singled back up the middle in the sixth to finish the day 1-for-3.

Young is attempting to come back from a sprained left ankle that he suffered at Arizona in late July, but has been slowed by a variety of injuries all season long.

"I've been in and out of the lineup all season with my calf, my hammy and my ankle," Young said. "This time off has definitely given me a chance to heal up and come back full strength like I was the first month of the season."

Young said he hopes to rejoin the major league team when it returns from its current road trip Friday.

"We're on track right now," he said. "I just need to work some of the cobwebs out."

Some of those cobwebs include his work on defense. Young was charged with an error in the second inning when he was trying to turn a double play. He dropped the relay throw, and both Greg Connors and Cirilo Cruz were safe on the play.

Both players ended up scoring, Connors on Harvey Hargrove's sacrifice fly and Cruz on Rafael Lopez's RBI double, to give the JetHawks a 2-0 lead.

Patrick Williams made the advantage three runs in the third, with his opposite-field solo home run. The blast was his 13th of the season, breaking a tie with Jason Regan for the team lead.

Lopez drove in Hargrove in the fourth with his second RBI double of the afternoon for Lancaster's final run of the game.

"He picked us up offensively," Garner said. "We need individuals to come up big for us like that."

Justin Kaye worked a scoreless ninth inning in relief of Mears to pick up his third save in eight days and 13th of the season.

Uploaded August 9, 1999