'HAWKS TAKING FLIGHT JETHAWKS 10, SAN JOSE 7.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SAN JOSE - Jesus Cota won the Triple Crown at the rookie-level Pioneer League last year and is putting up impressive numbers at Lancaster this season.

He went 3 for 5 with a homer and four RBI to lead the resurgent JetHawks to a 10-7 victory over the San Jose Giants in front of 1,913 Sunday at San Jose Municipal Stadium.

The JetHawks also got a big game from Victor Hall (Monroe High of North Hills), who was 4 for 6 with two doubles and two runs scored. Hall also made several outstanding defensive plays, including a diving catch on a ball hit directly to his left in the fourth that drew a loud ovation from the San Jose crowd.

Lancaster (19-45) has won three of its last five games, all over Northern Division opponents, against whom the JetHawks had lost their previous 19.

``We can beat the best teams in the league and we showed that in these last two series,' '' Hall said. ``We have the talent, we just have to be more consistent and more focused in key situations.''

Cota's opposite field two-run homer to left in a three-run fifth inning broke a 5-5 tie and gave the JetHawks the lead for good.

Cota, who's batting .304 (77 for 253) with nine homers and 50 RBI, leads the JetHawks in each Triple Crown category. Last season he batted .368 (100 for 272) with 16 homers and 71 RBI at Missoula (Mont.) in his first year of pro ball.

JetHawks reliever Scott Barber (1-1) threw four shutout innings of one-hit ball for his first victory since Aug. 9, 2001, and Jesus Silva allowed one hit and no runs in two innings for his eighth save.

--Notes: JetHawks starter Phil Stockman left the game with a hamstring injury after allowing two runs on four hits in one inning.

--Matchup: Left-hander Sam Taulli (2-1, 9.00 ERA) will pitch for the JetHawks when they play host to the High Desert Mavericks in the first of a three-game series tonight at 7:15.

MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT

The San Francisco Giants released veteran reliever Robbie Crabtree, a Cal State Northridge product. Crabtree, 29, had become a fixture for the Giants' Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies franchise, making 126 appearances with a solid 3.75 ERA the past two seasons. But the right-hander had struggled since returning for another year in Fresno with a 1-4 record and 7.91 ERA.

--Saturday's top performers: Triple-A Charlotte (N.C.) left-hander Jim Parque (Crescenta Valley/UCLA) earned a 7-1 victory at Rochester with seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball, five strikeouts and no walks. Charlotte's Joe Borchard (Camarillo) had a double and two RBI. ... Eric Valent (UCLA) had two hits for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre (Pa.). ... Former JetHawk Greg Connors had a double and drove in two runs for Triple-A Tacoma (Wash.).

- Chris Cocoles

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MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT (see text)