An Energetic Celebration

Shane Monahan let all the frustration out Wednesday night in a fist-pumping, arm-waving display.

Monahan, a JetHawk outfielder, had just lined a two-run single up the middle in the eighth inning, tying the game the JetHawks eventually won. After the game, Monahan had no apologies for the show he put on while standing at first base.

“I’ve been in a slump and it’s been a while since I’ve helped the team do anything,” Monahan said.

Before an infield single an inning earlier, Monahan had just one hit in his previous 17 at-bats, dropping his average below .300--which has become the standard on this team--to a season-low .296.

Though Monahan looked excited to have back-to-back hits, he conceded there was one person in the ballpark more excited.

“The most happy person is my wife,” Monahan said, “because she’s the one who has to live with me. I haven’t been getting too much sleep lately.”

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Jose Cruz Jr. was in the starting lineup Thursday, ending a four-game layoff because of a strained groin. . . . James Clifford, who came out of Tuesday night’s game because of a nerve contusion in his right wrist and could only pinch-hit Wednesday, was in the lineup Thursday and said he felt 100%. . . . Shortstop Luis Molina, who made three errors in the past two games, was benched in favor of Mike Lanza on Thursday.

The JetHawks drew 3,263 fans Thursday night, boosting their season attendance to 58,948 and surpassing the franchise’s season attendance of 56,601 last year in Riverside. . . .

Catcher Dusty Wathan has thrown out five consecutive would-be base stealers for the second time this season. Wathan has thrown out 11 of 14.

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Tonight’s Game:

JetHawks (Chris Beck, 4-0, 1.53) at Rancho Cucamonga (Cade Gaspar, 1-1, 3.57), 7:15.