Monahan Answers as JetHawks Romp

Going hitless in 15 at-bats doesn’t bother Shane Monahan.

Answering questions about it does.

The Lancaster JetHawk outfielder, who explained before Tuesday night’s game that he was simply unlucky during his brief skid, turned his fortunes around a few hours later, going three for four--and missing the cycle by a double.

His hitting combined with another masterful performance by right-hander Bob Worley to lift the JetHawks to a 12-1 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm before 3,061 at the Diamond.

“The same old stuff,” Monahan said after the game. “I’m just swinging the bat. That’s all I have to say.”

Monahan, who hit his third home run leading off the seventh, came to the plate in the eighth with a chance for the cycle, but grounded out. It was the third time this season Monahan has come to the plate with a chance to hit for the cycle, but he has failed each time.

Still, it’s hard to be critical of a guy hitting .349 with a slugging percentage of .651.

Monahan’s first-inning triple started a rally that gave the JetHawks a 3-0 lead. And that was all Worley needed.

Worley, a 25-year-old veteran who started last season in double A, wears glasses when he’s not pitching and doesn’t look much like a pitcher. He looks more like a guy who ought to be teaching a science class.

He might as well be teaching a graduate-level course on the science of pitching. Lesson One: throw strikes and let the defense do the work.

“I don’t do anything superb,” Worley said. “I just got the strikeouts when I needed them. It’s easy to pitch with a big lead. I just relaxed.”

He pitched seven innings, allowing an unearned run, four hits, no walks and had four strikeouts. Though his scoreless innings streak was stopped at 15, he still has not given up an earned run in 21 innings.

Worley (3-0) lowered his earned-run average to 0.34.

During one stretch, Worley retired 16 consecutive batters on 52 pitches--34 strikes.

“He sure looks like [he’s ready to return to double A] to me,” JetHawk Manager Dave Brundage said. “This is exactly what [parent club] Seattle has been looking for from him.”

Meanwhile, the JetHawk hitters must have noticed that their team batting average had dropped to .299 after collecting a relatively meager 14 hits in their previous two games.

The JetHawks had 15 hits and scored in every inning but the second.

Marcus Sturdivant, a JetHawk outfielder who hit .188 last week, broke out of his slump with three hits and two runs batted in.

JetHawks 12, Lake Elsinore 1

JetHawks: 301 211 121 -- 12 15 1

Lake Elsinore: 010 000 000 -- 1 5 2

Worley, Pearce (7) and Sealy; Skuse, De La Cruz (6), Novoa (8) and Hemphill.

W--Worley (3-0).L--Skuse (0-1).

2B: J--Sturdivant, Marquez. 3B: J--Monahan.HR:J--Monahan (3).

Records: JetHawks 13-6; Lake Elsinore 13-6.