JetHawks Provide Share of Fireworks

Maybe all the JetHawks ought to have rotator cuff surgery.

Ricky Jordan, the Seattle Mariners’ first baseman who just joined the JetHawks for a rehabilitation assignment from shoulder surgery, had four hits, including a two-run home run, to lead the JetHawks to a 9-4 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Wednesday night and a sweep of the three-game series.

The JetHawks (9-6), who have won six of seven games, finished the season series with a 10-2 record against Bakersfield.

The JetHawks disappointed the crowd of 6,674 at Sam Lynn Ballpark, many of whom had shown up to see the fireworks. They also got to see a fire which burned over the left-field fence from across a canal behind the ballpark. It did not threaten the fans.

The JetHawks trailed, 2-1, after one inning, then they tied the game in the second, added three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 7-2 lead.

After the Blaze pulled to within 7-4 and the JetHawks went into a temporary offensive slumber, Jordan inflated the cushion back to five runs with his two-run shot in the eighth.

The JetHawks’ initial scoring outburst was a different sort of rally than the high-powered, fence-bashing attack they rode to an early 8-1 lead on Tuesday.

In fact, it couldn’t have been more different. This one was keyed by Bakersfield’s errors, walks, balks and wild pitches. The JetHawks needed only seven singles to score seven runs.

Jordan provided singles in his first three trips to the plate.

His opposite-field single in the first drove in Jason Cook. In the second, Scot Sealy and Carlos Villalobos hit singles and moved into scoring position on Shawn Buhner’s groundout. Shane Monahan lined an infield single off the body of Bakersfield pitcher Brett Palmer, scoring Sealy.

The JetHawks loaded the bases in the third on two singles and an error. One run scored on a wild pitch and another on a walk to Villalobos. Mike Lanza’s sacrifice fly gave the JetHawks a 5-2 lead.

An inning later, Cook walked and Jordan singled, both eventually scoring on wild pitches.

Starter Ken Cloude (10-2) came into the game with the JetHawks averaging 8.75 runs in his starts. They have scored seven or more in 13 of his 17 outings.

He scattered 12 hits and four runs through seven innings against the Blaze, with two walks.

Clint Gould pitched the final two innings.

Catcher Sealy was injured on a foul tip that to hit him on the big toe of his left foot in the bottom of the ninth and he was carried from the field on a stretcher.

JetHawks 9, Bakersfield 4

JetHawks: 113 200 020 -- 9 9 0

Bakersfield: 200 020 000 -- 4 12 2

Cloude, Gould (8) and Sealy, Augustine (9); Palmer, Sellner (4), Maine (9) and Johnson.

W--Cloude (10-2).L--Palmer (0-1).

2B: B--Espinal 2, Gonzalez, Watts.HR:J--Jordan (1).

Records: JetHawks 9-6; Bakersfield 2-13.