Brundage No Closer to Relief

When Dave Brundage managed the Mariners’ affiliate in Riverside last season, he was lucky to have Dean Crow, a hard-throwing reliever who saved 22 games.

Now that Crow has been promoted to double A, Brundage has learned the value of a closer--because the JetHawks don’t have one.

“Right now we don’t have a go-to guy,” Brundage said after the bullpen blew a four-run eighth-inning lead in a 9-8 loss to the Modesto A’s on Tuesday night. “We are looking for someone to step up.”

Tuesday’s game was the 11th that the JetHawks have lost after holding a lead sometime after the sixth inning. By contrast, they have won only five games when they trailed sometime after the sixth.

The bullpen has allowed 19 earned runs in the past 19 innings, through Tuesday. Part of the problem has been injuries to relievers Tom Szimanski, Chris Beck and Jeff Pearce. An examination of Pearce’s left elbow showed no tear. Beck postponed his simulated game Wednesday because of a death in the family.

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Tonight’s Game: Modesto (Miguel Jimenez, 4-0, 2.78) at JetHawks (Greg Wooten, 4-2, 4.37), 7:15.