JetHawks Continue Their Slide, 11-0

On the bright side of the Lancaster JetHawks’ 11-0 loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Thursday night at the Hangar, at least they got Chris Prieto out.

Once.

Prieto, a 24-year-old outfielder who has spent parts of the past three seasons in the California League, reached base on a hit or walk in his first five trips to the plate, stretching his streak to 12 consecutive plate appearances in which he reached base, two short of the Cal League record.

JetHawk reliever Joe Victery finally retired Prieto on a fly out in the ninth inning.

The trouble Lancaster pitchers had with Prieto was surpassed only by the trouble the hitters had with right-hander Brandon Kolb, one of the San Diego Padres’ top pitching prospects.

“He had good command of his slider and fastball, and when he made mistakes we didn’t capitalize,” said JetHawk first baseman James Clifford. “And the mistakes were few and far between.”

Kolb (2-0) pitched eight brilliant innings, striking out 10 and walking none. He allowed only Yuni Kim’s single in the second and Carlos Villalobos’ doubles in the sixth and eighth.

“He had a slider that’s a little ahead of our kids in this league,” JetHawks Manager Rick Burleson said. “I don’t think they’ve seen a slider quite that good.”

Kevin Gryboski (0-3) saw his 8.27 earned-run average rise to 10.64 after the Quakes scored seven runs in the first 1 1/3 innings.

Even though the early 7-0 deficit had the JetHawks (9-12) well on their way to their ninth loss in 12 games, there was some intrigue left for the crowd of 3,609. Besides Prieto’s streak, the two local products in the Rancho Cucamonga lineup continued to have hot bats.

Outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who went to Granada Hills High and Mission College, had four hits, including a double and a two-run homer.

In the first two games of the series, Matthews is seven for nine, raising his average to .345.

First baseman Mike Mitchell, a graduate of Rio Mesa High, had two doubles and drove in three runs.