JetHawks Walk Home Losers Again as Rally Falls Short

The Lancaster JetHawks nearly had a comeback victory handed to them, but instead they lost their third consecutive California League game to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, 6-4, Sunday night at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

The JetHawks (14-10, 47-47) trailed, 6-1, entering the bottom of the ninth. Three Quake pitchers walked five JetHawks, forcing in two runs to make it 6-3. Relievers Tyrone Narcisse and James Sak threw 17 balls in a row in one stretch.

After a sacrifice fly by Joe Mathis scored Shawn Buhner to make it a 6-4 game with two outs, Jason Regan stepped to the plate with the tying runs on base. But Regan, who had 10 home runs in 89 at-bats, struck out to end the game.

Sak earned his 16th save and preserved the victory for starter Steve Hoss (2-3), who entered the game with a 8.24 earned-run average. Hoss gave up only two runs and three hits while striking out nine before leaving the game with no outs in the ninth after walking Yuni Kim.

JetHawk starter Kevin Gryboski (0-4) gave up four runs in the first two innings. A bases-empty homer by John Powers in the first was followed by a two-run shot by Vince Moore and an RBI-triple by Rick Prieto in the second.

Left-hander Jason Bond pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings for the JetHawks, who will try to avoid a four-game sweep against Rancho Cucamonga tonight at 7:15 in Lancaster.