Worley’s Sinker Raises JetHawks

With the excitement of the first home game out of the way, the JetHawks got back to the methodical business of winning baseball games Wednesday night.

A pair of players--one at the plate and one on the mound--continued impressive streaks and the JetHawks beat the Visalia Oaks, 7-2, before an announced crowd of 3,723 at the Hangar.

Right-handed starter Bob Worley stretched his scoreless streak to 14 innings and outfielder Shane Monahan extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a four-for-four night.

Monahan, who had a double and a home run, has 13 hits--including nine for extra bases--in his last 22 at-bats.

“I was just feeling good tonight,” Monahan said. “I was just trying to be patient and wait for my pitch.”

Worley, a veteran who spent most of last season in double A, pitched his second consecutive solid game, again using a sinking fastball and slider to get ahead of hitters and induce one ground ball after another.

“I’d rather be in [double A] Wilmington [N.C.],” Worley said. “But I’m just going good right now. I’m in a rhythm.”

Worley (2-0), who pitched seven scoreless innings last week at San Jose, needed just 94 pitches to go seven innings. He walked two and struck out six.

“He just picked up where he left off,” catcher Dusty Wathan said. “Just sinker, sinker, sinker and let them pound it into the ground and let the defense do the work.”

His scoreless streak nearly came to an end in the seventh, when the Oaks put two runners in scoring position with none out. But Worley struck out Keith Kimsey and Yuri Sanchez, then induced a groundout from Bo Durkac.

The Oaks helped Worley out with some questionable baserunning in the third, when David Roberts was thrown out at third trying to stretch a two-out double.

In the fifth, Worley gave up a one-out single to Kimsey, who was thrown out trying to steal second just before Sanchez’s double. Wathan has thrown out five consecutive would-be base-stealers.

While it was a good night for most JetHawk streaks, Jose Cruz Jr. had his hitting skein stopped at 11 games and Carlos Villalobos’ 12-game hit streak came to an end.

The JetHawks (10-4) scored first for the 11th time in 14 games, taking a 1-0 lead in the third when Monahan led off with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout.

After Mike Lanza singled in a run in the fourth, Monahan led off the fifth with a solo home run. Two outs later, Villalobos walked and Shawn Buhner singled. Wathan then hit a three-run home run for a 6-0 lead.

JetHawks 7, Visalia 2

Visalia: 000 000 011 -- 2 7 2

JetHawks: 001 141 00x -- 7 11 2

Goldsmith, Duffy (6), Gomez (7) and Marine; Worley, Trawick (8) and Wathan.

W--Worley (2-0).L--Goldsmith (0-1).

2B: V--Sanchez, Roberts; J--Monahan, Buhner. HR:V--Kimsey (4); J--Monahan (2), Wathan (2).

Records: JetHawks 10-4; Visalia 5-9.