JetHawks rally from early deficit in playoff opener vs. HD
Sept. 9, 2015
By ALONSO TACANGA
Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
LANCASTER — As J.D. Davis observed the baseball he’d just obliterated fly toward and beyond the center field wall, the JetHawks third baseman gripped the top of his bat and tossed it aside almost in disgusted delight.
It was the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 1 of the best-of-three California League South Division Mini-Series against High Desert on Wednesday night, and the two-run long ball gave the JetHawks their first lead of the night en route to a 9-7 victory.
“It was just a little frustration from me and for the team,” Davis said. “We were chipping away, but we weren’t getting that big hit … for us, we lead the league in home runs and we all wanted that big hit.”
With one of Davis’ colossal swings, the JetHawks completed a tremendous climb in a game worth a season of emotions that ultimately only mean one thing: Lancaster leads the series 1-0 and is a win away from the Division Finals.
Emotionally, however, the game meant a lot more for the defending California League champions, who overcame more than just a 5-0 first-inning deficit a to take the win.
“It was a weird day, but we got the win and it was fun to see those guys fighting from behind,” JetHawks manager Omar Lopez said.
Possibly the product of nearby lightning, the lights ceased to work at The Hangar right around game time, putting in doubt the status of the series opener.
Shortly after the lights came back, the JetHawks had new woes, however, as starter Keegan Yuhl gave up five runs and had to be removed two outs into the game.
“(The delay) probably affected him a little bit,” Lopez said of Yuhl, who gave up five runs on four hits, two walks and a pair of wild pitches. “I don’t know.”
At that moment, another malfunction of the electric system might not have been the worst thing to happen to the home team, but the JetHawks had other plans.
Behind the most powerful offense in the league, Lancaster, which totaled 14 hits on the night, scored three runs in the second inning and three more in the fourth to tie the game at 6-6.
But the Mavericks retook the lead on a Joe Jackson solo homer in the top of the seventh, only to have Davis destroy the baseball and their hearts shortly after.
After High Desert reliever Ryan Ledbetter walked Derek Fisher to lead off the bottom of the seventh, he served Davis a pitch the third baseman violently smacked for his 27th home run of the year, and the comeback was complete.
McDonald, the JetHawks’ overall leader in homers at 30, would add an insurance RBI on an infield hit down the left-field line between home plate and third base to send the JetHawks to Adelanto in search of one more win with two tries to find it.
“It was fun, I really liked it,” Davis said. “The roller coaster of emotions, getting down, climbing all the way back up and then keeping them down.”
Keeping the Mavericks, whose starter Reed Garrett departed after giving up 10 hits and six runs in 3.2 innings, in check offensively was just as crucial for the JetHawks, who got three RBIs from catcher Jamie Ritchie and two more from shorstop Alex Bregman, on this night.
Left-hander Steve Naemark relieved Yuhl and pitched 4.1 innings of one-run ball, giving up three hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts. Righty Troy Scribner only gave up one hit, Jackson’s solo shot, in two innings and recorded the victory, and Kevin Comer pitched two perfect innings for the save.
“Obviously there was some damage done, so the mentality from that point on was just to limit it and give the team a chance to come back,” Neymark said. “There was still a lot of game left.”
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, too much of it. But they now go home, where they’ll host Game 2 tonight at 7:05. Righty David Paulino (1-1, 4.91) will start for the JetHawks against Mavericks right-hander Trey Lambert (9-3, 4.60).
A potential third game would take place on Friday at the same time.
The good news for High Desert: the last time the JetHawks visited Adelanto, they left it winless, swept in a four-game series from July 30-Aug. 2. The bad news: this time around, there’s no room for error.
“We have the momentum, but they play really well at home,” Davis said.
By ALONSO TACANGA
Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
LANCASTER — As J.D. Davis observed the baseball he’d just obliterated fly toward and beyond the center field wall, the JetHawks third baseman gripped the top of his bat and tossed it aside almost in disgusted delight.
It was the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 1 of the best-of-three California League South Division Mini-Series against High Desert on Wednesday night, and the two-run long ball gave the JetHawks their first lead of the night en route to a 9-7 victory.
“It was just a little frustration from me and for the team,” Davis said. “We were chipping away, but we weren’t getting that big hit … for us, we lead the league in home runs and we all wanted that big hit.”
With one of Davis’ colossal swings, the JetHawks completed a tremendous climb in a game worth a season of emotions that ultimately only mean one thing: Lancaster leads the series 1-0 and is a win away from the Division Finals.
Emotionally, however, the game meant a lot more for the defending California League champions, who overcame more than just a 5-0 first-inning deficit a to take the win.
“It was a weird day, but we got the win and it was fun to see those guys fighting from behind,” JetHawks manager Omar Lopez said.
Possibly the product of nearby lightning, the lights ceased to work at The Hangar right around game time, putting in doubt the status of the series opener.
Shortly after the lights came back, the JetHawks had new woes, however, as starter Keegan Yuhl gave up five runs and had to be removed two outs into the game.
“(The delay) probably affected him a little bit,” Lopez said of Yuhl, who gave up five runs on four hits, two walks and a pair of wild pitches. “I don’t know.”
At that moment, another malfunction of the electric system might not have been the worst thing to happen to the home team, but the JetHawks had other plans.
Behind the most powerful offense in the league, Lancaster, which totaled 14 hits on the night, scored three runs in the second inning and three more in the fourth to tie the game at 6-6.
But the Mavericks retook the lead on a Joe Jackson solo homer in the top of the seventh, only to have Davis destroy the baseball and their hearts shortly after.
After High Desert reliever Ryan Ledbetter walked Derek Fisher to lead off the bottom of the seventh, he served Davis a pitch the third baseman violently smacked for his 27th home run of the year, and the comeback was complete.
McDonald, the JetHawks’ overall leader in homers at 30, would add an insurance RBI on an infield hit down the left-field line between home plate and third base to send the JetHawks to Adelanto in search of one more win with two tries to find it.
“It was fun, I really liked it,” Davis said. “The roller coaster of emotions, getting down, climbing all the way back up and then keeping them down.”
Keeping the Mavericks, whose starter Reed Garrett departed after giving up 10 hits and six runs in 3.2 innings, in check offensively was just as crucial for the JetHawks, who got three RBIs from catcher Jamie Ritchie and two more from shorstop Alex Bregman, on this night.
Left-hander Steve Naemark relieved Yuhl and pitched 4.1 innings of one-run ball, giving up three hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts. Righty Troy Scribner only gave up one hit, Jackson’s solo shot, in two innings and recorded the victory, and Kevin Comer pitched two perfect innings for the save.
“Obviously there was some damage done, so the mentality from that point on was just to limit it and give the team a chance to come back,” Neymark said. “There was still a lot of game left.”
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, too much of it. But they now go home, where they’ll host Game 2 tonight at 7:05. Righty David Paulino (1-1, 4.91) will start for the JetHawks against Mavericks right-hander Trey Lambert (9-3, 4.60).
A potential third game would take place on Friday at the same time.
The good news for High Desert: the last time the JetHawks visited Adelanto, they left it winless, swept in a four-game series from July 30-Aug. 2. The bad news: this time around, there’s no room for error.
“We have the momentum, but they play really well at home,” Davis said.