Visalia takes first of three game series against Lancaster

In a match up of the two most potent offenses in the California League, the Visalia Oaks (23-14/56-51) out slugged the Lancaster JetHawks (17-19/49-57) 9-7 at Recreation Park.

The Oaks got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Chris Nowak doubled down the right field line. The next batter, Josh Arhart, singled to left field to bring home Nowak and give Visalia a 1-0 lead.

In the second inning, the JetHawks tied the game on a solo homerun to left by Jereme Milons to make the score 1-1.

Visalia retook the lead with a two out rally in the home half of the second. Pat Cottrell and David Cardona each singled. Then, leadoff hitter Fernando Perez ripped a three run homer to right center field giving the Oaks a 4-1 lead. The blast was the first of the year from the left side of the plate for the switch hitting Perez. Shortstop Reid Brignac followed that up with a homer of his own to extend the Oaks lead to 5-1.

The scoring continued in the third as Lancaster scored three runs to cut Visalia's lead to 5-4. The inning was highlighted by a two run homer by third baseman Brandon Burgess.

After the third, Oaks starter Derek Feldkamp settled down allowing just one hit in his last three innings of work. He threw six solid frames, allowing 4 runs and striking out 5 in earning the victory.

The Oaks padded their lead with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth inning. In the fifth, Perez doubled into the right field corner and Brignac followed with an RBI single back up the middle to plate Perez. John Jaso and Pat Cottrell each singled to put two on with two outs for the Oaks in the sixth. David Cardona stepped to the plate and laced a two RBI double off the top of the wall in left field bringing home Jaso and Cottrell and giving the Oaks a 8-4 lead.

Perez finished the night 2-5 with a homerun, double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Lancaster answered Visalia's two run sixth inning with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Javier Brito led off the inning with a double and Derek Bruce reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Chris Rahl and Cesar Nicolas each hit sacrifice flies to center field to bring home Brito and Rahl and make the score 8-6 Visalia.

The Oaks added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on a titanic blast by Chris Nowak giving the Oaks a 9-6 lead.

Nowak went 2-4 with a homerun, a double, 2 runs scored and 1 RBI.

The JetHawks scored a run in the eighth on an RBI double by Bruce to bring in Brito and make it a two run game. That was as close as Lancaster would get as Brett Wayne kept the JetHawks offense at bay to earn his 7th save.

Visalia and Lancaster play game two of this three game set Wednesday with first pitch at 6:35 PM. Wednesday is Weenie Wednesday with hot dogs just $1 at Recreation Park.