It’s Another Almost for JetHawks, 5-4
The JetHawks’ specialty for much of this season has been the almost-great comeback. The comeback that, actually, isn’t a comeback at all. It’s a comeclose.
The JetHawks added another in a 5-4 loss to the High Desert Mavericks on Wednesday night before 3,195 at the Hangar.
The JetHawks (14-14), who fell into sole possession of last place in the California League Southern Division, trimmed a four-run eighth-inning deficit to one run and had the tying and winning runs on in the ninth after Andy Augustine and Mike Lanza walked with two out.
But Jason Cook struck out swinging on a nasty 3-and-2 curveball from Matt Snyder.
“It was in the back of my mind, because he threw it on 3-1 so I figured he could throw it on 3-2,” Cook said. “But I have to look fastball so he doesn’t blow it by me. He just made a good pitch.”
The comeback began in the bottom of the eighth, with the JetHawks trailing, 5-1. Augustine walked and then Lanza and Cook had back-to-back singles, driving in one run.
Jesus Marquez drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and Scott Smith dropped a blooper into right field just beyond the dive of Ray Suplee to drive in another run and pull the JetHawks to within, 5-4. James Clifford struck out to end the inning.
“We probably score more runs in the last three innings than any other team in the league,” Cook said. “It shows that we don’t roll over and die. We’ll get our fair share of wins at the end.”
Because the rally came up short, starting pitcher Marino Santana ended up with a loss despite pitching well for seven innings. His only mistakes were giving up a solo home run to Mike Berry in the third and a three-run shot to Chris Kirgan in the fifth, giving the Mavericks a 5-1 lead.
It was a typical Santana game--lots of strikeouts with a few homers in between. Through five innings he had struck out seven and given up two home runs.
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
High Desert 5, JetHawks 4
High Desert 101 030 000 -- 5 8 0
JetHawks 100 000 030 -- 4 8 0
Rhodes, Sauritch (8), Snyder (8) and Newstrom; Santana, Niemeier (8) and Augustine.
W--Rhodes (4-8).L--Santana (7-11). S--Snyder (14).
2B: HD--Berry, Kirgan. 3B:J--Cook. HR:HD--Berry (7), Kirgan (17).
Records: High Desert 15-13; JetHawks 14-14.
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