Mays Not Sharp in Debut, But Good Enough to Win

Having been promoted from Wisconsin of the Midwest League during the all-star break, pitcher Joe Mays arrived Thursday just in time to hear all the stories about Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

He learned its nickname--the Hangar--and was told not to hang his curveball.

Then he was given the start Friday night in his first game in a JetHawk uniform.

“I figured there would be a slight breeze, but this is a little scary,” Mays said of the wind that blows out to center and right field. “And it’s like this every day.”

Mays, who had a 9-3 record and 2.09 earned-run average in 13 starts at Wisconsin, won Friday against Lake Elsinore. Despite allowing 10 hits and four runs, all earned, in 5 2/3 innings, the 21-year-old right-hander did not allow a home run and was the beneficiary of three JetHawk home runs.

Mays said he wasn’t nervous but was rusty after pitching only one inning in the past week.

“I didn’t think he was real sharp,” JetHawk pitching coach Jim Slaton said. “But he hung in there and stayed away from the long ball, walks and the big inning--which in this ballpark is hard to do.”

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Tonight’s game: Visalia (Brett Laxton, 5-1, 3.82) at JetHawks (Joe Victery, 2-3, 6.56), 5:05.