JetHawks Are Not Tired of Winning

Should the Lancaster JetHawks hit a slump in the near future, they’ll have a hard time blaming it on lack of sleep.

Not after their 10-2 rout of the High Desert Mavericks on Saturday in front of 2,180 at Maverick Stadium.

The JetHawks (7-3) racked up 13 hits, got solid work from four pitchers and turned five double plays to register their third consecutive victory, which kept them at least tied for first place in the California League’s Southern Division.

Best of all, the JetHawks were on their way home 2 1/2 hours later, anticipating a normal night’s rest.

The team bus pulled into Lancaster from Friday night’s game in San Jose at about 5:30 a.m. The players got back to their apartments around 6.

Many slept on the hour-long bus ride here, including winning pitcher Brett Hinchliffe, and they arrived at 12:48 p.m. for a 2:05 p.m. game--barely enough time to prepare.

But the JetHawks showed no weariness, scoring three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead while Hinchliffe (2-0) handcuffed the struggling Mavericks (2-7) the first four innings.

“I got a few hours’ sleep and I took a half-hour nap on the bus here,” said Hinchliffe, who went five innings, allowing two earned runs. “I wasn’t tired.”

Coach Dave Brundage said the 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-hander’s performance set the tone for the JetHawks in their first game at High Desert, one of the more celebrated hitters’ parks in the minor leagues.

“Five innings and two runs in this ballpark is a pretty good feat,” Brundage said. “We made some pitches at the right time. Five pitches for 10 outs is key here.”

The JetHawk infield ended the second, third and fifth innings with double plays.

Leading the JetHawk hit parade was Jose Cruz Jr., who drove in four of the first five runs with consecutive two-run doubles, and No. 2 hitter Shane Monahan.

Monahan, a No. 2 pick of the Seattle Mariners behind Cruz last June, was three for four, scoring three times, driving in a run and hitting the game’s only home run.

He had two of seven extra-base hits by the JetHawks. His solo homer, which capped a three-run sixth inning that gave Lancaster an 8-2 lead, was typical for Maverick Stadium.

He seemed to lunge at a changeup from reliever Ned Darley, following through with one hand on the bat. But the ball cleared the right-field wall 370 feet away.

“I was kind of shocked it went out,” Monahan said.

High Desert wasn’t so amused.

The Mavericks have a team earned-run average of 6.99 and have allowed 33 runs in 18 innings.

So grave are High Desert’s pitching problems, bullpen ace Darley entered the game in the fifth but he wasn’t the answer. After striking out the side in the fifth, he gave up three runs in the sixth and went to the clubhouse.