JetHawks Fall in a Game of Hit and Miss

LANCASTER — Never has scoring position meant so little.

The Lancaster JetHawks wasted chance after chance, while the Stockton Ports took advantage of their opportunities in a 10-3 victory Thursday night at the Hangar.

JetHawk pitchers walked seven Port hitters, and four scored. Meanwhile, Stockton pitchers walked eight JetHawks and hit two others. One scored.

The JetHawks were two for 13 with runners in scoring position, making the least of 19 baserunners.

By failing to extend Stockton’s losing streak to eight games, the JetHawks failed to pick up a game on the Ports (24-16), who lead the California League’s Valley Division thanks to a 23-9 start. With 29 games to play in the first half, the JetHawks are 20-21 and 4 1/2 games back in fourth place.

The JetHawks got a decent outing from Joe Victery, who was inserted into the rotation last week when Kevin Gryboski went on the disabled list. Victery (2-2) lasted five innings and gave up three runs.

The JetHawks trailed, 3-2, when he turned the game over to Brian Sweeney.

Sweeney gave up singles to three of the first four hitters, but picked a runner off second, so the Ports had a runner at first with two out and one run in.

Chad Green, one of the stars of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, singled and Toby Kominek drove in two runs with a double. Derek Wachter drove in another with a single to make it 7-2.

“Our pitching staff is beat up and that hurts,” JetHawk Manager Rick Burleson said. “I was about the get a catcher up to pitch in the ninth if [Robbie] Christianson got beat up.”

After falling behind, 3-0, the JetHawks got back in the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth, the key blows coming from shortstop Joel Ramirez and outfielder Miguel Correa.

Ramirez, who is 14 for 42 (.333) since starting the season three for 22, had two hits, including a run-scoring triple in the fourth. Correa, batting .315 since coming down from double A to fill in for injured Luis Tinoco, hit his first of two doubles in the fifth, driving in a run to pull the JetHawks to within 3-2.