Late Rally Not Enough, JetHawks Drop Game and Series to Storm
Published on May 15, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
Lancaster JetHawks News Release
With their winningest pitcher on the mound and virtually the same lineup that powered them to a win on Wednesday night, the Lancaster JetHawks figured to be in good position to take the rubber game in their series with the Lake Elsinore Storm. As the saying goes, that is why they play the games; as it turned out, Chris Hicks turned in his worst performance of the season and the Lancaster offense was held quiet much of the night, and the Storm beat the JetHawks 8-5.
Storm starting pitcher Corey Luebke was dazzling for most of his five and two thirds innings; he allowed only two earned runs, the first of which was the result of a spectacular individual effort from the JetHawks hottest hitter of late, Job Gaston. With one out in the first inning, Gaston walked. He then stole second and third bases on back-to-back pitches, and came home to score when Round Rock loan-out Chris Johnson grounded out to shortstop.
Gaston's one-man show tied the game, as the Storm had scored on a towering home run from Lance Zawadski in the first. Zawadski had an enormous series at the Hangar, driving in six runs with four extra base hits. The homer came off Chris Hicks, who simply did not have his premium stuff on this night.
He worked his way out of a second and third jam in the second when he struck out dangerous leadoff man Brad Chalk, but his good fortune ran out in the third. Justin Bourn, who singled to lead off the inning, moved up to second on a Logan Forsythe walk and to third on a Felix Carrasco single, scored when Yefri Carvajal hit a sacrifice fly to deep center. Forsythe scored on a a wild pitch, and the Storm led 3-1.
Things did not get better in the third. Danny Payne led off the frame with a single, and ninth-hitting catcher Ali Solis brought him home with a booming home run to left field. Brad Chalk then tripled and scored on another wild pitch, and it was 5-1.
Nick Moresi scored in the fifth after doubling again, but the Storm stretched their lead to 8-2 in the eighth with three consecutive hits at the top of the order, the biggest two an RBI double from Bourn and an RBI trible from Zawadski.
David Flores made things interesting with a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the last of the eigth, but the JetHawks could not muster enough the rest of the way and fell 8-5.
The JetHawks begin a seven game road trip tomorrow night in Rancho Cucamonga at 7 PM. The radio broadcast of the game on Magic 1340 and online at www.JetHawks.com begins with the Pre-Game Show at 6:45 PM.
California League Stories from May 15, 2009
- Fireworks Tonight! - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Coughlin Promoted, Pimentel Added - Visalia Rawhide
- Giants on Deck Preview, Versus Modesto May 15-18 - San Jose Giants
- Six-Run Inning Propels Giants To 8-4 Victory - San Jose Giants
- Quakes "Walk Off" With Win Over Mavs - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Late Rally Not Enough, JetHawks Drop Game and Series to Storm - Lancaster JetHawks
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