Gaston breaks single season home run record in JetHawks loss
August 31, 2009 - California League (CalL1)
Lancaster JetHawks News Release
(SAN JOSE, CA) - The Lancaster JetHawks dropped another ballgame in San Jose on Saturday night, but it was an historic night for Jon Gaston. In the top of the third inning, Gaston came to the plate with Marcos Cabral standing on first base. He crushed a Kyle Nicholson fastball over the wall in left field to set the single season home run record in Lancaster JetHawks history with his 32nd blast.
Gaston's titanic blast pushed the slugger past Kyle Nichols to the top of the all-time JetHawks record books. Nichols belted 31 big flies in 2003. The JetHawks' outfielder reclaimed the overall lead in minor league baseball with number 32 heading into the season's final week.
The home run was one of the few bright spots in what was an otherwise disappointing evening for the JetHawks in San Jose. Lancaster starter Tip Fairchild struggled with his control early, and walked the first three batters of the ballgame. All three would score, without the Giants recording a base hit. Darren Ford stole two bases and scored on a Fairchild wild pitch; Nick Noonan scored on a Roger Kieschnick groundout, and Thomas Neal crossed home plate on an error at shortstop and a ground ball that would have ended the inning.
Matt Weston got a run back for the JetHawks in the top of the second inning with his 14th home run of the season, a line shot over the wall in center field. But the Giants got right back to work in their half of the second. After C.J. Ziegler reached on another error, Ford belted a home run to left field, his second of the series. Two batters later, Neal ripped a solo shot to straight-away center field. After Gaston's homer cut the lead to 6-3, the Giants put the game out of reach in the third. A pair of one-out singles chased Fairchild as Bryan Hallberg was summoned from the pen. Tyler Graham and Ford then singled to bring in two runs. A wild pitch scored Graham, before Neal singled to bring Ford home and stretch the lead to 10-3. The score would stay that way for the remainder of the ballgame.
In the wake of another loss, Gaston was still able to reflect on the emormity of his accomplishment. "I am so proud to have broken the record," Gaston said. "It felt like I was stuck on 30 forever; once I hit the home run to tie it [last night], it felt like a weight had been lifted off me. I made a couple great swings tonight."
California League Stories from August 31, 2009
- Gaston, Clemens named 2009 California League All-Stars - Lancaster JetHawks
- Yusuf Carter named to postseason All-Star team - Stockton Ports
- JetHawks swept out of San Jose - Lancaster JetHawks
- Gaston breaks single season home run record in JetHawks loss - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Complete Sweep Of JetHawks In Home Finale - San Jose Giants
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