JetHawks Can’t Finish Quakes and Lose, 6-4

RANCHO CUCAMONGA —  Like most baseball games, the JetHawks’ 6-4 loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Thursday night at the Epicenter came down to a few pitches.

Most of them mistakes by the JetHawks.

The Quakes scored five of six runs with two out, including the eventual winning runs on Ben Davis’ bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh.

“We made some bad pitches at some bad times,” Manager Dave Brundage said. “We didn’t make clutch pitches with two outs. That was the key to the ballgame.”

In the seventh, JetHawk reliever Todd Niemeier gave up back to back singles leading off the inning and John Daniels was summoned from the bullpen. He almost got out of the jam, but Davis served a 3-and-2 pitch into center field, driving in Antonio Fernandez and Sean Watkins to give the Quakes a 6-2 lead.

Quake left-hander Jim Baron walked Jason Cook and Jesus Marquez to lead off the eighth. They both came around to score, with Scot Sealy driving in a run with a groundout and James Clifford singling into right for another.

But with the potential tying run at the plate, Chris Dean’s blooper to right field was snagged by a sliding Gary Matthews.

Quake starter Kenny Henderson, roughed up for five runs in three innings by the JetHawks last week, held them to two runs and four hits through five innings, striking out six.

Rancho Cucamonga 6, JetHawks 4

JetHawks 011 000 020 -- 4 5 1

Rancho Cucamonga 202 000 20x -- 6 10 1

Beck, Niemeier (6), Daniels (7), Thompson (8) and Wathan; Henderson, Baron (6), White (8), Erdos (9) and Davis.

W--Henderson (1-1).L--Beck (6-4).S--Erdos (7).

2B: J--Dean; RC--Fernandez.3B:J--Monahan; RC--Melo.

Records: JetHawks 1-1; Rancho Cucamonga 1-1.

* JETHAWKS REPORT: C12