11th-Hour Victory for JetHawks

The Lancaster JetHawks moved to within one game of first-place Modesto thanks to some heroics by third baseman Cirilo Cruz, but pitcher Ivan Montane is still wondering when he will get a victory.

Cruz, who drove in four runs, gave the JetHawks (29-20) a 6-5 victory with a two-run double with one out in the 11th inning against the Stockton Ports in a California League game Saturday night at the Hangar.

It was the latest in a season of frustrating outings for Montane, who was sent to Lancaster from double-A Memphis last week with an 0-8 record.

Montane has to be wondering how much longer his drought will last. Here it is August and he has no decisions in two starts for Lancaster after being sent down from Memphis.

The 23-year-old from Puerto Rico was roughed up in his first JetHawk start and carried a 7.20 earned-run average into this game, when four errors hurt his cause.

Montane exited with the score tied, 4-4, in the seventh with two of Stockton’s runs unearned.

The Ports’ first run came in strange fashion before Montane could get an out. Chad Green opened the game with a ground-ball double to right that first baseman James Clifford lost in the setting sun.

Anthony Iopoce followed with a dribbler that Montane fielded and threw to Clifford. But Clifford again lost the ball in the sun and Green trotted home.

In the fourth inning, with the JetHawks leading, 3-2, Clifford overthrew Montane on Drew Williams’ grounder. Montane put Williams in scoring position with a balk, and he scored one out later on Luis Molina’s throwing error.

Montane did not appear anxious on the mound, as one might expect from a pitcher who hasn’t won all season and has a lifetime record of 24-39.

The JetHawks stranded eight runners in three innings, but scored in the third on a two-run single by Cruz and a sacrifice fly by Josh Watts.

Lancaster moved ahead, 4-3, in the fifth on a two-out single by Joel Ramirez that scored Shawn Buhner, who doubled with one out. The Ports evened it in the top of the sixth, thanks to Montane’s balk.