JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: HEAD OF THE CLASS : 3 JETHAWKS LEAD LEAGUE.Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer They boast the California League's most prolific hitter, RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in man and stolen base leader. More importantly, the JetHawks are starting to breed some consistency up and down the lineup. While Brendan Kingman Brendan Kingman (born May 22, 1973) is an Australian baseballer. In 2004, he was part of the Australian Olympic baseball team, who achieved a Silver Medal in the baseball tournament at the Athens Olympics. (.366 average), Cirilo Cruz (38 RBI) and Anton French (20 steals) - not to mention Adonis Harrison (third with a .335 average) - have been productive throughout the season, it's the recent performances by Jason Regan, Karl Thompson and others that has rejuvenated re·ju·ve·nate tr.v. re·ju·ve·nat·ed, re·ju·ve·nat·ing, re·ju·ve·nates 1. To restore to youthful vigor or appearance; make young again. 2. a once anemic offensive attack. Coming off his astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. 22-homer second half with the JetHawks in 1997, Regan is recovering from an early-season tailspin tail·spin n. 1. The rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep, spiral spin. 2. Informal A loss of emotional control sometimes resulting in emotional collapse. . Since May 13, the 21-year-old third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker has hit six homers and driven in 17 runs, raising his average to .259. ``If you look what he did . . . when he came to us . . . I expect him to take off again,'' said JetHawks manager Rick Burleson Thompson's .218 clip doesn't seem like much, but the catcher was at .105 a little more than a month ago. ``I'm still trying to get comfortable. I haven't found my swing all season,'' Thompson said. The resurgence of Regan and the methodical improvement by Thompson, coupled with the season-long efforts of Harrison, Cruz and Kingman, shows in the statistics. Entering Tuesday's game against San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. , the JetHawks were batting .262 as a team, just four points behind league-leading Stockton. ``We to have get guys like (Jayson) Bass and (Ramon) Vazquez going,'' Burleson said. ``(Luis) Tinoco is such a quality hitter, but he's given some at-bats away.'' While there are several JetHawks still hitting below .250, those chilly days in April when any offensive success was limited to a select few are fading away. ``Besides (Harrison), Kingman and me, none of the other guys were hitting,'' said Cruz, batting .299 with five home runs after hitting just one in his first three professional seasons. ``Everyone is getting together now.'' Add league leaders: Besides Kingman's average, Cruz's RBI and French's steals, other category leaders just happen to be JetHawks as well. Tinoco leads the Cal League in triples with five, followed closely by teammate Harrison, in a four-way tie for second with four. That's not such a surprise. As a team, the JetHawks have collected 20 triples, including nine in a four-day stretch beginning last Thursday at Lake Elsinore. Harrison paces the league in runs scored with 38, and among pitching leaders, Brian Sweeney Brian Edward Sweeney (born 13th June 1974 in Yonkers, New York) is a baseball pitcher for the Japanese Nippon Ham Fighters franchise. After making his debut with the Mariners in 2003, Sweeney moved to San Diego in 2004 and then signed with Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham shared honors with Bakersfield's Jason Verdugo, each winning six games. Disabled pitcher Jason Bond is the league's only starter to weave a complete-game shutout, which the left-hander did at Rancho Cucamonga Rancho Cucamonga (răn`chō k  'kəmäng`gə), city (1990 pop. 101,409), San Bernardino co., S Calif. in the opener of a doubleheader
on April 26.
Do you know the way to San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. ? Looming huge on the JetHawks' upcoming schedule is a three-game series at San Jose beginning Monday. The Giants lead the Valley Division with a 31-20 record, 3 -1/2 games in front of the JetHawks through Monday. ``It's time to make a run right now,'' Sweeney said. The first half concludes June 14, and the JetHawks must overtake not only San Jose but High Desert and Modesto. The first-half champion receives an automatic bid into the Cal League playoffs. ``Don't even count us out yet,'' Sweeney warned. ``This is right time to be playing at our best. We've had the hitting, the pitching and defense. We're going to make our run.'' JETHAWKS vs. SAN BERNARDINO Game times and pitching matchups Tonight: JetHawks LH Brian Fuentes (1-2, 7.16) vs. Stampede LH Adrian Burnside 0-4, 6.30), 7:11 p.m. Thursday: JetHawks LH Julio Ayala (4-1, 2.22) vs. TBA TBA See: To be announced . 7:11 p.m. All games at Lancaster Municipal Stadium. Stampeding the Mavericks: The Stampede is ranked last in the 10-team California League in team batting with a .235 average and runs scored with 156 through Sunday. But San Bernardino came alive Monday with a 13-2 rout of High Desert. - Chris Cocoles CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO (Ran in SAC Edition only) JetHawks left-hander Julio Ayala is scheduled to put his 4-1 record on the line against San Bernardino Thursday night at Lancaster Municipal Stadium. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News BOX: JetHawks vs. San Bernardino (See text) |
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