JetHawks earn first series sweep of year

Lancaster received homers from Rafael Lopez and Patrick Williams to help it sweep San Bernardino

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff Writer

They're getting this tightrope walking without a net down to a science.

The JetHawks opened their final homestand of 1999, knowing that one loss in a three-game series with the San Bernardino Stampede would write the obituary for their already slim playoff hopes.

But that nearly inevitable elimination from the playoffs has yet to come. Lancaster made sure it would stay on life support for yet another day with a 5-1 victory over the Stampede before 2,712 fans at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

"We're not giving up," Lancaster catcher Rafael Lopez said. "We're going to keep playing until they tell us we're eliminated."

The JetHawks moved to within eight games of the South Divisionleading Stampede and High Desert Mavericks in the second-half standings with nine games remaining in the season.

In the process, the JetHawks extended their season-high winning streak to five games, improving their record to 26-35 in the second half and 49-82 overall.

Lancaster also completed its first series sweep of more than one game this season. Lancaster, which has been swept a franchisehigh 15 times this year, has five one-game series victories.

"We've been playing pretty good ball recently," JetHawks manager Darrin Garner said. "People think they can come in here and whoop our butt. But we're not going to lay down for them."

The first sweep probably couldn't have come against a better opponent, which is coached by former Lancaster manager Rick Burleson.

Hostilities between the two teams, which became a little heated Wednesday, nearly came to a boil in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday when Lopez was hit by a pitch from San Bernardino starter Adrian Burnside (10-8).

"They were trying to hit the guy," Garner said. "They are frustrated because we beat them three in a row. That's the way I saw it. . . You have to give us credit, because we beat them in three games and we didn't start to throw at people like they did."

Lopez and Burnside jawed at each other as Lopez made his way to first base. Both benches emptied during the ensuing argument, but no punches were thrown and no ejections were handed out by home plate umpire Ray Villenueve, who warned both dugouts, or base umpire Steve Cox.

Lopez made his biggest statement with his bat in the second inning.

With the game still scoreless, Shawn McCorkle drew a leadoff walk from Burnside before Lopez belted the first pitch he saw over the left-center field wall to give Lancaster a 2-0 lead. The blast was the third of the year for Lopez.

The Stampede cut the deficit in half in the fifth with Ismael Gallo's solo homer off Lancaster starter Patrick Dunham.

Despite allowing four walks in the first three innings, that was the only run Dunham (1-4) would surrender in his seven solid innings of work. The right-hander held San Bernardino to four hits while striking out five in his best outing since joining the team July 19.

"He struggled with his control a little at times, but he got the job done for us," Garner said. "He pitched a good ballgame."

Lancaster stretched the lead to a more comfortable margin for Dunham with three runs in the fifth.

Cirilo Cruz singled in Joel Ramirez from second base with his grounder back up the middle, then Williams hit a two-run blast just to the left of the left-center field scoreboard. The blast was his 21st of the season for Lancaster and his first in 10 games since he hit two against Lake Elsinore on Aug. 15.

Uploaded August 27, 1999