Storm punish JetHawks, 30-0

Matt Antonelli and Kyle Blanks fueled a near-record 28-hit attack Friday as the Lake Elsinore Storm pounded the Lancaster JetHawks, 30-0, at Clear Channel Stadium.

Antonelli and Blanks each had six hits and combined to score 11 runs. Yordany Ramirez collected a career-high seven RBIs, while Chad Huffman went 5-for-5 with a pair of home runs. Craig Cooper also homered twice for Lake Elsinore (22-20), which fell one hit short of tying the single-game California League record.

The first five hitters in the Storm lineup -- Antonelli, Cooper, David Freese, Blanks and Huffman -- combined to go 22-for-32 with five homers, six doubles, 19 RBIs and 24 runs scored. The Cal League mark for runs in a game is 34, set by Fresno on May 23, 1947, against Ventura.

The game started ominously enough for Lancaster (22-20) as Antonelli reached on an error by second baseman Chuck Jeroloman. Cooper followed with his third homer of the season and, after Freese struck out, Blanks singled and Huffman drilled his sixth homer.

Lake Elsinore scored six runs in the second and third, then tacked on five in the fourth for a 21-0 cushion.

Ramirez had only two hits, but one was a two-run double in the second and the other was a three-run homer in the third. He also had a pair of RBI groundouts.

Antonelli reached safely in each of his first five plate appearances before flying out in the seventh inning. The 22-year-old second baseman doubled his best single-game performance by going 6-for-8 with two doubles, three RBIs and a career-best five runs scored.

Blanks was 6-for-7 with a pair of doubles, a two-run homer and six runs scored.

Matthew Buschmann (3-3) had no trouble pitching with the huge lead. He gave up four hits and a walk over a season-high 6 2/3 innings, striking out a season-best nine. Matt Handley finished up by fanning five over the final 2 1/3 frames. He gave up one hit and a walk to nail down the Storm's fifth straight win.

The JetHawks got only four men as far as second base. Luis Soto went 2-for-4 and Aaron Bates' double was the lone extra-base hit for Lancaster.

To add injury to insult, JetHawks left fielder Bubba Bell -- who is among the overall Minor League leaders in hits, homers and RBIs -- collided with center fielder Yahmed Yema while pursuing a ball hit to the gap. He was carted off the field and diagnosed with an abdominal injury.

Lancaster starter Kris Johnson (2-3) gave up eight runs -- seven earned -- on five hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. Mario Pena was roughed up for 11 runs on eight hits and three walks in 1 2/3 frames.