The Lancaster Jethawks shut out the Visalia Rawhide 3-0 Friday night to even up the California League Championship Series at a game apiece. RHP Lance McCullers went six innings and allowed seven hits but no runs while 1b Tyler White launched a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
The Jethawks were outhit by the Rawhide, 9-7, but Visalia pitchers walked seven batters, to only two free passes issued by Lancaster pitching.
The series shifts to Lancaster for tomorrow night’s 6PM game, and any other games needed in the best-of-five format.
Visalia was 6-1 in the playoffs going into the night and they had their chances playing in front of the home fans for the last time in 2014. But trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh with the first two runners aboard, Alex Glenn was thrown out at the plate and the rally fizzled.
Jethawks reliever Daniel Minor came on in the seventh in relief of McCullers and went two eventful innings without allowing the Rawhide to score. Minor inherited the two 0n/no out jam and allowed a single to Socrates Brito, but CF Brett Phillips gunned Glenn down for the first out. A walk to Breland Almadova loaded the bases but Minor struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
After a one-out Ryan Gebhardt single in the bottom of the eighth, Minor K’d Rudy Flores and Glenn, ending any threat.
The Jethawks added a run in the top of the ninth, then Andrew Walter struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
It was a tense contest throughout, very worthy of a championship series game. After two games, neither team has the upper hand.
Tomorrow night’s pitching matchup is a beauty: Brandon Sinnery vs. Vincent Velasquez.
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