JetHawks Downed by Pair of Oaks, 5-2

The JetHawks’ inability to capitalize coupled with two outstanding individual performances by the Visalia Oaks led to a 5-2 Visalia victory in front of 3,528 Tuesday night at the Hangar.

The JetHawks, second in the California League with 481 runs entering Tuesday night’s game, left seven runners on base--five in scoring position.

Kevin Mlodik (5-3) of Visalia stifled the JetHawks for most of his 6 1/3 innings. He was perfect through three innings and took a one-hitter into the seventh before allowing a leadoff walk to James Clifford and a run-scoring triple by Yuni Kim two batters later.

Mlodik allowed two runs on two hits with six strikeouts.

The Oaks (4-3) got all the offense they needed from first baseman Dave Slemmer, who hit home runs on the first pitch of the third inning and the first pitch of the seventh.

Slemmer, who had only three home runs and was batting .251 entering the game, added a run-scoring double on an 0-and-2 pitch in the fifth and finished three for three with three runs and three runs batted in.

The JetHawks (4-2) threatened in the third when Jason Regan walked and went to third on Clifford’s two-out double.

Shawn Buhner followed with a hot smash toward third base, but Visalia’s Eric Chavez made a nice stop and threw out Buhner.

JetHawk starter Damaso Marte (1-6) was hurt by the extra base hit. Four of the six hits he allowed were for extra bases, including all of Slemmer’s.

Marte pitched seven innings and allowed all five Oak runs. He had seven strikeouts.

Brian Sweeny relieved Marte and pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit with one walk and one strikeout.