For JetHawks, everything the matter in loss against Ports
April 13, 2015
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
LANCASTER — Just a few games into 2015, the JetHawks’ offensive struggles have been the theme of a season they hope ends in a second consecutive Cal League championship.
On Monday the subject matter of a new frustrating Lancaster defeat expanded.
“It was everything,” JetHawks manager Omar Lopez said.
The bats of a scoring-starved team finally came alive, but unfortunately for the JetHawks (2-3), it was the Ports’, who won the first of three games at The Hangar 13-4.
Stockton (2-3) did it by tagging six runs (five earned) in five innings on surprise JetHawks knuckleballer starter Blaine Sims and five more on reliever Randall Fant in the sixth frame. By then, the Ports were up 11-1 and even Kaboom looked upset.
“For the most part, pitching sets the tone in every game,” Lopez said. “When you have good pitching, you have a chance to stay in the game no matter how bad your offense is struggling.”
And struggle it did again. The JetHawks only collected five hits. Three of those (two doubles) came in the bottom of the sixth inning, where Lancaster scored three runs to cut the Ports’ lead to 11-4.
It would be their final run of the night. It was still the JetHawks’ highest-scoring output of the year.
Ports starter Lou Trivino went 5 1/3 innings, gave up four hits, two walks and four runs and struck out three for the win.
“Right now we’re scuffling a little bit and we’re trying to hit balls hard,” said JetHawks first baseman A.J. Reed, who went 1-for-4 and scored a run. “I think collectively we need to start hitting with an approach instead of trying to hit homers. It’s something we’ll work on and get better and the runs will come.”
Stockton, which coming into Monday had only scored eight runs in four games (same as the JetHawks) while stranding 27 baserunners over their last two outings, did some longball hitting of its own, something that left the JetHawks as the only Cal League team still in search of their first homer.
Up 6-1 entering the sixth inning, Ports left fielder Justin Higley got his team’s first homer of 2015 when he smacked a hanging ball to deep center field off reliever Randall Fant.
Higley was the first batter in a frame where the Ports batted around. Three batters later, J.P. Sportman hit Stockton’s second homer of the year, a two-run shot again beyond the center field wall.
By the end of the inning, Fant had given up seven hits, including two homers and a double for five runs. He went on to pitch three innings, giving up eight total hits and a walk with a strike out.
Reliever Chris Cotton pitched the ninth and gave up two hits, a walk and two runs. He gave up another homer, this one a two-run shot to Venezuelan prospect Franklin Barreto.
“We left a lot of pitches up in the zone and they took advantage of it,” Lopez said.
The battle was uphill from the very start, as the Ports, who snapped a three-game skid, got their first run on a series of passed balls in the first inning.
Sims struck out Sportman, Stockton’s leadoff batter, but catcher Jobduan Morales, who played hero on Sunday by delivering a walk-off hit against San Jose, couldn’t control Sims’ knuckleball, allowing Sportman to reach first base.
That would be the first of three passed balls for Morales in the first. The third one allowed Sportman, who went 3-for-6 with 3 RBIs, to cross home plate for the first run of the game.
“Actually I felt really really good,” said Sims, who started in place of an under-the-weather Adrian Houser. “A little unlucky at times and stuff like that, but you got to keep your nose down and stay on it.
Ports right fielder Tyler Marincov (3-for-4, 5 RBIs) drove in John Nogwoski (4-for-6) and Michael Soto (3-for-5) in the fourth inning with a single to left field. He drove them in again in the very next inning by smacking a triple over the head of center fielder Brett Phillips, giving his team a 6-1 lead.
“Couldn’t have felt much better,” said Sims, who gave up eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts. “I would have liked for better results than what it was, but it’s baseball, man. That’s the way it goes.”
Chase McDonald remained the JetHawks most consistent hitter of the year by going 1-for-3 and driving in two runs. A McDonald sacrifice fly drew the JetHawks within 3-1 after four innings.
But on a night like Monday, the hole was too great even for a team on a hot streak.
The JetHawks will try to awaken their bats for a sixth time today, against the Ports at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s early,” said Reed. “I’m not too worried about it. We’ll be OK.”
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
LANCASTER — Just a few games into 2015, the JetHawks’ offensive struggles have been the theme of a season they hope ends in a second consecutive Cal League championship.
On Monday the subject matter of a new frustrating Lancaster defeat expanded.
“It was everything,” JetHawks manager Omar Lopez said.
The bats of a scoring-starved team finally came alive, but unfortunately for the JetHawks (2-3), it was the Ports’, who won the first of three games at The Hangar 13-4.
Stockton (2-3) did it by tagging six runs (five earned) in five innings on surprise JetHawks knuckleballer starter Blaine Sims and five more on reliever Randall Fant in the sixth frame. By then, the Ports were up 11-1 and even Kaboom looked upset.
“For the most part, pitching sets the tone in every game,” Lopez said. “When you have good pitching, you have a chance to stay in the game no matter how bad your offense is struggling.”
And struggle it did again. The JetHawks only collected five hits. Three of those (two doubles) came in the bottom of the sixth inning, where Lancaster scored three runs to cut the Ports’ lead to 11-4.
It would be their final run of the night. It was still the JetHawks’ highest-scoring output of the year.
Ports starter Lou Trivino went 5 1/3 innings, gave up four hits, two walks and four runs and struck out three for the win.
“Right now we’re scuffling a little bit and we’re trying to hit balls hard,” said JetHawks first baseman A.J. Reed, who went 1-for-4 and scored a run. “I think collectively we need to start hitting with an approach instead of trying to hit homers. It’s something we’ll work on and get better and the runs will come.”
Stockton, which coming into Monday had only scored eight runs in four games (same as the JetHawks) while stranding 27 baserunners over their last two outings, did some longball hitting of its own, something that left the JetHawks as the only Cal League team still in search of their first homer.
Up 6-1 entering the sixth inning, Ports left fielder Justin Higley got his team’s first homer of 2015 when he smacked a hanging ball to deep center field off reliever Randall Fant.
Higley was the first batter in a frame where the Ports batted around. Three batters later, J.P. Sportman hit Stockton’s second homer of the year, a two-run shot again beyond the center field wall.
By the end of the inning, Fant had given up seven hits, including two homers and a double for five runs. He went on to pitch three innings, giving up eight total hits and a walk with a strike out.
Reliever Chris Cotton pitched the ninth and gave up two hits, a walk and two runs. He gave up another homer, this one a two-run shot to Venezuelan prospect Franklin Barreto.
“We left a lot of pitches up in the zone and they took advantage of it,” Lopez said.
The battle was uphill from the very start, as the Ports, who snapped a three-game skid, got their first run on a series of passed balls in the first inning.
Sims struck out Sportman, Stockton’s leadoff batter, but catcher Jobduan Morales, who played hero on Sunday by delivering a walk-off hit against San Jose, couldn’t control Sims’ knuckleball, allowing Sportman to reach first base.
That would be the first of three passed balls for Morales in the first. The third one allowed Sportman, who went 3-for-6 with 3 RBIs, to cross home plate for the first run of the game.
“Actually I felt really really good,” said Sims, who started in place of an under-the-weather Adrian Houser. “A little unlucky at times and stuff like that, but you got to keep your nose down and stay on it.
Ports right fielder Tyler Marincov (3-for-4, 5 RBIs) drove in John Nogwoski (4-for-6) and Michael Soto (3-for-5) in the fourth inning with a single to left field. He drove them in again in the very next inning by smacking a triple over the head of center fielder Brett Phillips, giving his team a 6-1 lead.
“Couldn’t have felt much better,” said Sims, who gave up eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts. “I would have liked for better results than what it was, but it’s baseball, man. That’s the way it goes.”
Chase McDonald remained the JetHawks most consistent hitter of the year by going 1-for-3 and driving in two runs. A McDonald sacrifice fly drew the JetHawks within 3-1 after four innings.
But on a night like Monday, the hole was too great even for a team on a hot streak.
The JetHawks will try to awaken their bats for a sixth time today, against the Ports at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s early,” said Reed. “I’m not too worried about it. We’ll be OK.”