Mavericks Win Again In Ninth
August 26, 2009 - California League (CalL1)
Lancaster JetHawks News Release
(ADELANTO, CA) - Once again on Tuesday night, the Lancaster JetHawks fought back to tie the High Desert Mavericks. Once again, the Mavericks bounced back and won the ball game in their final at bat, scoring the winning run on a sacrifice fly to beat Lancaster 12-11. It was the eighth one-run victory the Mavericks have notched against the JetHawks, and kept Lancaster from picking up a game in the playoff race.
It was, as it so often has been in the 2009 season, a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. The Mavericks got a great -albeit brief - start from Michael Pineda. The lone blemish on Pineda's sheet came in the second inning, when Matt Weston hit a solo home run. The Mavericks answered right back in their half of the inning when Joe Dunigan hit a two-run blast.
Pineda was brilliant in his three and a third innings; he allowed just one run and struck out six. The instant he was lifted from the ballgame, the JetHawks pounced. Donnie Hume, the Mavericks' winningest pitcher, was called upon to relieve Pineda and ran into trouble immediately. He hit Matt Weston to open his outing before Marcos Cabral doubled. Ronnie Ramirez then doubled to center field on the first pitch to plate Weston and Cabral. After A Shuck single with two outs, the JetHawks got RBI singles from Jon Gaston and Rosario to complete the five-run fourth.
The Mavericks, as they so often have this season, answered back with seven runs over the next two innings. In their half of the fourth, they opened with a single from Joe Dunigan and a run-scoring triple from Ko Hui Lo. Travis Scott then brought Lo home with a groundout to first.
The Mavericks appeared to take control of the game in the fifth. Jeffrey Dominguez started things off with a double; with one out Carlos Peguero walked. Brent Johnson then singled in Dominguez, who had stolen third base. After Dunigan struck out, Lo tripled again to score two runs. The next man Scott homered and it was 10-6.
The JetHawks refused to go down quietly and responded with three runs in the sixth. J.B. Shuck and Ebert Rosario led off the inning with singles; with one out Koby Clemens crushed a three-run home run to left filed to pull the JetHawks back to within one. With the blast, Clemens ran his Minor-League-baseball-leading RBI total to 113.
The Mavs added an insurance run in the eighth when Peguero hit a sacrifice fly to left field. But once again, the JetHawks scrapped back into the game. Cabral reached on an error to open the ninth before Ronnie Ramirez popped out for the first out. J.B. Shuck walked and Ebert Rosario singled to bring up Gaston. With a 1-2 pitch count, Gaston lined a single to left field to tie the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Joe Dunigan hit a one-out double to left field and moved to third on a balk from Jose Duran. He then scored on a sacrifice fly to medium center field off the bat of Lo. There was a violent collision at home plate between Dunigan and Clemens; when the dust settled, the JetHawks left Adelanto with another close loss.
The clubs finish their three-game series in Adelanto tomorrow night at 7:05 PM. Shane Wolf (5-5, 5.29) takes the ball for the JetHawks, while Steven Hensley (7-3, 4.62) will be on the mound for the Mavs.
Make sure to get the best possible price on 2010 Full Season Tickets, on sale now. Order by September 7 and you can purchase your tickets at the 2009 price. Ticket packages include all 70 games, discounted parking, and perks such as invitations to free events, including off-season parties and the annual Meet the Team BBQ, as well as access to the exclusive Sunset Lounge. To lock in your seats for 2010, contact Trent Wondra at (661) 726-5400, or trent@jethawks.com. Info can also be found at www.JetHawks.com.
California League Stories from August 26, 2009
- San Bernardino County Named Seventh-Best Minor-League Sports Market - Inland Empire 66ers
- Sixers Bats Stay Alive in 6-3 Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- Rawhide Home Runs Sink Giants In 12-3 Loss - San Jose Giants
- Mavericks Win Again In Ninth - Lancaster JetHawks
- Quakes Fall to 66ers 6-3 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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