CAL LEAGUE: THREE HOMERS POWER JETHAWKS JETHAWKS 5, R.C. 2.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - The JetHawks managed just two homers in their past five games of a recent seven-game homestand at hitter-friendly Lancaster.

On Tuesday, they had a home run outburst worthy of The Epicenter's Mardis Gras celebration night in a 5-2 victory over Rancho Cucamonga in front of 2,534.

The JetHawks (20-19) homered three times in support of starter Sam Smith (3-5), who struck out six batters and allowed six hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings in what was by far his best outing.

Chris Carter hit his seventh homer of the season in the second inning, Jeff Cook hit his career-high fourth homer leading off the sixth, and Edgar Varela's two-run homer in the seventh - his first - made it 4-0.

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com