Back on Cruz Control, JetHawks Tie for Lead

Just as the JetHawks have found themselves back in that zone that carried them to a torrid start, so has Jose Cruz Jr.

Cruz had four hits, including a home run, Wednesday night as the JetHawks beat the High Desert Mavericks, 6-5, before 972 at Maverick Stadium to pull into a first-place tie in the California League’s Southern Division.

Catcher Scot Sealy’s two-run home run in the sixth gave the JetHawks a 5-4 lead. They made it 6-4 in the seventh on a run-scoring hit by Cruz, who has nine hits in 11 at-bats.

“I’m feeling pretty happy these days,” Cruz said after raising his average to .361.

The JetHawks had to hang on in the eighth when the Mavericks scored a run and had the potential tying run thrown out at the plate on a relay from right fielder Cruz to second baseman Adonis Harrison to Sealy.

Tom Szimanski struck out the side in the ninth. He began the inning by getting Bryan Bogle on a called third strike. In the aftermath Bogle, High Desert Manager Joe Ferguson and on-deck hitter Jesse Garcia were ejected for arguing.

The JetHawks’ 10th victory in 12 games pulled them even with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, who lost, 6-1, to the Stockton Ports.

“It’s a nice comeback but we are not done yet,” Manager Dave Brundage said. “We are not going to rest on our laurels.”

The JetHawks (31-28) have 11 games to play in the first half, including four against the Quakes next week at Lancaster.

The key inning for the JetHawks was the sixth, which began with the Mavericks holding a 4-2 lead. Jason Cook drove in Cruz with a single just before Sealy ripped a belt-high changeup over the center field fence and stood at home plate to watch the ball before flinging his bat is celebration.

“When you hit a ball that far you want to see where it lands,” Sealy said.

JetHawk starter Brett Hinchliffe (5-5) allowed only a double, one that should have been caught by center fielder Marcus Sturdivant, through the first four innings.

The Mavericks took the lead with four runs in the fifth but Hinchliffe left with a 5-4 lead after pitching six innings.

JetHawks 6, High Desert 5

JetHawks: 200 003 100 -- 6 10 0

High Desert: 000 040 010 -- 5 8 1

Hinchliffe, Trawick (7), Pearce (8), Szimanski (8) and Sealy; Marenghi, Eibey (6), Darley (7), Dean (9) and Newstrom.

W--Hinchliffe (5-5).L--Marenghi (6-5).S--Szimanski (6).

2B: J--Sturdivant, Cruz, Monahan; HD--Berry, Newstrom, Hodge.HR:J--Cruz (5), Sealy (7).

Records: JetHawks 31-28; High Desert 29-31.

* JETHAWKS REPORT: C8