Visalia Brings Down JetHawks, 8-5

The Lancaster JetHawks could not hold an early lead Wednesday night and lost to the Visalia Oaks, 8-5, in a California League game at Visalia.

Jim Horner’s two-run home run in the second inning gave Lancaster a 2-0 lead, but the JetHawks surrendered six runs in the bottom of the inning.

Joe Mays (5-2) took the loss, allowing seven hits and seven runs in six innings while striking out six and walking two.

The JetHawks pulled to within 7-5 in the eighth, two of their runs scoring on a home run by Tarrik Brock, his second of the season.

Lancaster had six hits and committed one error. Visalia had eight hits and one error.

AROUND THE LEAGUES

It took Keith Evans two starts with the West Palm Beach Expos to settle into the groove he was in with Cape Fear before being promoted July 30. Evans, a 6-foot-5 right-hander from Crespi High, needed only 71 pitches to earn his first Florida State League victory Monday in a seven-inning scoreless stint against Vero Beach.

Evans took a no-hitter into the seventh and allowed only one hit, struck out two and walked two. He was promoted after going 12-7 in 21 starts for Cape Fear and leading the Class-A South Atlantic League with 138 innings pitched.

Evans, the Montreal Expos’ eighth-round draft choice out of Cal in 1996, exhibited pinpoint control at Cape Fear, walking only 18 while striking out 102 and posting a 2.61 earned-run average.

Evans’ next start is scheduled for Friday against the Daytona Cubs.

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Mike Batesole spent the past few days recruiting players for his freshly reinstated Cal State Northridge baseball team while wearing a Bakersfield Blaze cap he picked up watching former Matador right-hander Rob Crabtree strike out 11 in a 6 2/3-inning stint against the Modesto A’s on Sunday.

“Same old Crabby . . . carving them up,” Batesole said.

Crabtree, an off-speed pitcher with sidearm and overhand deliveries, has made 38 appearances, including six starts, posting a 6-5 record with a 3.45 ERA. He has 99 strikeouts in 94 innings.

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Scanning Tuesday’s box scores: TRIPLE A--Buffalo’s Torey Lovullo (Montclair Prep) had two hits and drove in three runs in a 14-5 loss to New Orleans. Louisville’s Dmitri Young (Rio Mesa) had one hit and a run batted in to raise his average to .182 since being demoted by the St. Louis Cardinals after they acquired Mark McGwire. Rochester’s Tim Laker (Simi Valley High, Oxnard College) hit a single, was twice hit by pitches and scored three runs. DOUBLE A--Jacksonville’s Bryan Corey earned his ninth save and lowered his ERA to 3.43 by pitching 1 1/3 shutout innings in a 4-1 victory over Huntsville.