Nowak power Mavericks

Chris Nowak homered and drove in three runs as visiting Visalia hammered High Desert, 14-5, on Tuesday.

Nowak cranked a two-run homer in the Oaks' five-run fifth inning and produced another run in the ninth with his 37th double. The 23-year-old first baseman is 17-for-51 with 15 RBIs in 13 August games.

Sergio Pedroza belted a solo homer in the second and scored three runs, Mark Schleicher went 3-for-5 with a two-run blast in the fifth and Josh Arhart was 4-for-5 with an RBI. Visalia (30-20) pounded out 19 hits.

Starter James Houser Jr. (11-5) tossed 6 2/3 frames and allowed three runs on five hits as he won his 11th game, tied for tops in the California League. He walked three and fanned seven.

Mavericks starter Brandon Weeden (6-5) was touched for eight runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out two in 3 1/3 frames.

Kiel Thibault lashed an RBI single in the second and ripped a run-scoring double in the seventh for High Desert (23-27). -- Ryan McConnell/MLB.com