JetHawks Can’t Find Their Way, Lose in San Jose

Although the Lancaster JetHawks made Wednesday night’s game against the San Jose Giants interesting, an early six-run deficit was too much to overcome and the JetHawks lost, 7-3, before 2,175 at Municipal Stadium.

After falling behind, 6-0, in the fourth, the JetHawks came back and actually had the tying run at the plate in the sixth inning, trailing 6-3. But James Clifford, who had five runs batted in a night earlier, grounded out to end the inning and what turned out to be their final threat.

“We needed a big one to get us over the hump,” Manager Dave Brundage said. “Clifford hits a hard ball and they were in the right spot.

“We put a little pressure on them and that’s encouraging,”

San Jose added to the lead with a run in the seventh on an error and a double by Bobby Bonds Jr., who had three hits and scored two runs.

There was some good news for the JetHawks (4-3) in the eighth, when closer John Thompson pitched a scoreless inning, starting a double play himself to get out of a two-on, one-out jam. Thompson was on the mound to regain some confidence after two shaky outings.

Marino Santana lasted only three innings, the shortest outing of any Lancaster starter this season. Santana was pulled after allowing four runs and throwing 78 pitches.

“He didn’t have his good stuff,” Brundage said. “He didn’t have the good command and for Marino Santana to be successful, he has to have good command.”

In the first, Bonds led off with an infield single, stole second and took third on Wilson Delgado’s single. Bonds scored on a sacrifice fly and Delgado on a hard double by Jesse Ibarra into the right-field corner.

In a two-run second inning, Santana caused his own problems. He allowed the first hitter, Edwards Guzman, to reach first when he threw a wild pitch on the third strike. Santana walked two other batters in the inning.

Santana escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the third when he struck out the final two batters of the inning. Santana left after the third with six strikeouts and three walks.

Tim Trawick relieved Santana in the fourth, but it made no difference to the Giants.

After a leadoff walk to Bonds, Delgado tripled off the fence in center field for one run. An out later, Ibarra doubled home Delgado, pushing the lead to 6-0.

Right-hander Darin Blood, the San Francisco Giants’ third-round draft pick last June, held the JetHawks to one run through five innings, even though Lancaster, which leads the California League in hitting, still had six hits.

Blood, who struck out seven in five innings, was pulled in favor of left-hander Phillip Bailey in the sixth, and the JetHawks rallied.

After two quick outs, Mike Lanza singled and Shane Monahan reached on a bunt single.

After a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, Jason Cook’s two-run single made it 6-3.

Jose Cruz doubled, putting two more runners in scoring position for cleanup hitter Clifford, who grounded out to end the inning.