JetHawks Get Back to High-Water Mark

The Lancaster JetHawks got strong pitching and timely hitting to beat the Modesto A’s, 5-3, and tie a season high with their fourth consecutive victory Wednesday in front of 3,302 at the Hangar.

Right-hander Javier Gutierrez worked six strong innings before giving way to relievers Brian Sweeney (3-1) and Sean Spencer, who shut out Modesto over the final three innings.

Spencer recorded his seventh save after a two-run home run by Carlos Villalobos erased a 3-1 deficit and a run-scoring single by Luis Molina drove in the winning run in the seventh.

“Since the beginning of the second half, our starting pitching is doing real well,” Spencer said. “Everybody is more focused than before.”

For the first six innings, the game featured impressive performances by two pitchers who came in with mediocre statistics--including identical .272 batting averages by opponents.

Gutierrez was 0-1 with a 5.95 earned-run average, but he held the A’s to three runs on six hits.

Modesto left-hander Julian Noriega, 1-4 with a 4.53 ERA, allowed three runs on four hits in six innings.

Neither pitcher got a decision and both were bitten by the long ball.

Jose Castro of Modesto led off the game by lining the fourth pitch from Gutierrez over the right-field wall.

After being held without a hit for the first 3 1/3 innings, the JetHawks tied it, 1-1, when Villalobos singled and later scored on Jim Horner’s grounder.

The A’s got an RBI single from A.J. Hinch in the fifth and a bases-empty home run from Tim Jones in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead before Lancaster tied it in the bottom of the sixth on the home run by Villalobos.

The JetHawks (9-4 in the second half, 42-41 overall) rattled reliever Ryan Kjos in the seventh with singles by Shawn Buhner and Molina sandwiched around a walk to Tarrick Brock with one out.

But after Molina’s single scored Buhner to make it 4-3, Kjos induced fly balls from Joe Mathis and Jason Regan to douse the rally.

Horner homered in the eighth.

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* DAILY REPORT

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