JetHawks Give Cloude Reversal of Fortune, 13-7

JetHawk right-hander Ken Cloude, who didn’t win two games he left with leads, came out Saturday night trailing by three runs.

So, of course, he won.

The JetHawks scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after Cloude’s final pitch and beat Rancho Cucamonga, 13-7, before 5,471 at the Hangar.

Cloude (2-0), whose bullpen has blown two games he left with leads, was charged with three earned runs in six innings, the most he has given up all season, and left trailing, 3-0.

But James Clifford broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run home run in the sixth and hit an inside-the-park solo homer in the eighth.

Even though the JetHawks (16-7) loaded the bases with none out in the sixth, they still nearly wasted the opportunity, scoring only once before there were two out and two strikes on Carlos Villalobos.

Villalobos lined a full-count single to left, scoring two runs to tie the game, 3-3.

After Clifford’s home run made it 6-3, Mike Lanza added a two-run double.

Rancho Cucamonga came back with four runs in the seventh to make it 8-7.

Todd Niemeier started the inning and left with two runners on, two out and no runs in. John Thompson, the JetHawks’ struggling closer who blew two saves last week, gave up three consecutive singles before escaping.

Thompson pulled himself together, retiring the last six batters to get his third save in six attempts.

“It was nice to see him come in and get the job done,” Manager Dave Brundage said. “We really need him.”

Rancho Cucamonga’s Keith Davis dominated the JetHawks for four innings, retiring all 12 hitters, 10 on ground balls. The JetHawks’ first hit was Jesus Marquez’s single in the fifth, which extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

Cloude shut out the Quakes through five innings, but allowed three runs in the sixth.

JetHawks 13, Rancho Cucamonga 7

Rancho Cucamonga 000 003 400 -- 7 11 1

JetHawks 000 008 05x -- 13 12 1

Davis, Bussa (6), Baron (6), Thomas (8), Hammerschmidt (8) and McKinnis; Cloude, Niemeier (7), Thompson (7) and Wathan.

W--Cloude (2-0).L--Davis (1-1).S--Thompson (3).

3B: RC--Brinkley; J--Sturdivant.HR:RC--Fernandez (2); J--Clifford 2 (5).

Records: JetHawks 16-7; Rancho Cucamonga 8-14.