'Hawks Drop Opener at Inland Empire
July 31, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
Lancaster JetHawks News Release
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Wes Rogers and Colton Welker each extended their hitting streaks to 15 games, but the JetHawks fell in the series-opener against the Inland Empire 66ers, 7-3, on Tuesday night at San Manuel Stadium.
The 66ers (22-17, 55-54) broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the seventh inning to propel them to victory. Matt Dennis (7-11) started the inning by allowing an infield hit and issuing a walk before Franklin Navarro came up with a go-ahead single. Juan Pena entered from the bullpen and allowed RBI-singles to DJ Jenkins and Connor Justus.
Lancaster (23-16, 56-53) had rallied back to tie the game in the fifth inning. Wes Rogers led off the inning with a solo home run, his fifth in his last six games, to get his club on the board. Manny Melendez later walked and Bret Boswell singled to set the stage for Colton Welker. He tied the game with a two-run double to centerfield.
Dennis had allowed two home runs early fo fall in an early hole. Julian Leon hit a solo shot in the first inning, and Navarro blasted a two-run homer in the third. Dennis allowed six runs on six hits over 6.1 innings.
Simon Mathews (3-3) tossed four shutout innings of relief to pcik up the win.
Rogers and Welker have are now tied for the team's longest hitting streak of the season. Welker had a 15-game streak from the end of April in to early May.
Lancaster finished the month of July with a 17-12 record, their best record in any month this season.
The series continues on Wednesday evening in San Bernardino. Brandon Gold (8-6) will start against Luis Madero (2-0). First pitch is 7:05 p.m.
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California League Stories from July 31, 2018
- 'Hawks Drop Opener at Inland Empire - Lancaster JetHawks
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