JetHawks Hit Powerball Jackpot

LANCASTER —  The Lancaster JetHawks, on the verge of an early knockout, hit four home runs and scored in each of their final six at-bats to complete a three-game sweep of the San Bernardino Stampede in a California League game Friday night at the Hangar.

The JetHawks won, 10-7, after trailing by four runs entering the fourth inning.

Jim Horner and Tarrik Brock each drove in three runs for Lancaster (51-47, 18-10 in the second half).

Eric Morgan (3-2) and Sean Spencer, who earned his 10th save, provided the pitching with 3 2/3 innings of strong relief.

San Bernardino, after leading, 5-1, lost for the 12th time in 13 games.

JetHawk starter Javier Gutierrez didn’t fool anybody. He allowed five runs and six hits, including three home runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Gutierrez had allowed only five home runs in 32 2/3 innings. But with Gutierrez sporting a team-high 7.44 earned-run average, pitching coach Jim Slaton was watching him like a hawk.

Glenn Davis, the Dodgers’ No. 1 pick in the June draft, hit a two-run home run to right with one out in the first to make it 2-0.

Gutierrez retired Davis to open the third. Then he yielded a homer to right to Murph Proctor, walked Cliff Anderson and allowed a two-run blast to Jason Weekley.

Slaton popped his head out of the dugout and motioned to the bullpen, but right-hander Joe Victery had just begun to loosen up. After the next batter, Angel Pena, singled sharply to left, Slaton had seen enough.

In came Victery, who held San Bernardino (50-48, 10-18) to one run over the next two innings in his first appearance after being activated from the disabled list.

The JetHawks were stymied by 27-year-old knuckleballer Kevin Pincavitch through three innings. Pincavitch, a converted infielder, struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings.

But he couldn’t stop Lancaster from joining in the home-run fest in the fourth inning.

Brock hit a two-run shot that inning to make it 5-3. A two-run single by Horner tied it in the fifth.

Andy Owen’s two-run double off Morgan in the top of the sixth put the Stampede back ahead, 7-5.

But Shawn Buhner led off the sixth with a bases-empty home run for the JetHawks.

Consecutive home runs to right field by James Clifford (No. 22) and Horner gave Lancaster its first lead of the game with one out in the seventh.

Brock’s RBI-single later in the inning gave the JetHawks a 9-7 lead.

Josh Watts walked with the bases loaded for Lancaster’s 10th run.