Nuts fall two games back after 5-2 loss to Lancaster

Modesto, Calif. - Leandro Cespedes held Modesto to just a run and eight hits over eight full innings and T.J. Steele led the JetHawks offense with four RBI and two triples in a 5-2 Lancaster victory versus Modesto on Friday night at John Thurman Field. The loss dropped Modesto to two games behind first place San Jose with just two games remaining in the 2009 first half schedule. The Friday night game was played in front of Modesto's sixth sellout crowd (4,395) of the season.

San Jose and Visalia entered the day tied for the top spot in the California League North Division, but the Giants managed to rally for a 6-4 win over the Ports in Stockton and Visalia lost 9-0 to Bakersfield. The Rawhide (39-29) fell to one game back of first place San Jose (40-28) with just two games remaining to play in the first half.

Bruce Billings (5-7, 4.72) took the loss after allowing four earned runs in six innings on Friday night. The JetHawks scored their first run against him in the fourth and added three more in the sixth. Steele's first run batted in was a ground out to second with a runner at third in the fourth. Billings gave up two hits in the one run fourth and allowed eight total hits in the loss.

Modesto tied the game in the fifth after Brian Rike started the inning with a triple and Wilin Rosario scored him with a sacrifice to deep left. It was the only run they scored against Cespedes.

Cespedes (2-5, 6.57) allowed eight earned runs over 1.1 innings against Modesto in Lancaster, but followed that effort with his best start of the 2009 season on Friday night. He pitched eight full innings for the first time this season and allowed just one earned run.

Lancaster broke the game open with a three run third. The inning started with a single from J.B. Shuck and continued with a bunt single from Gabriel Suarez and eventually a triple from Steele. Steele's triple was his first of two triples in the game and it scored two Lancaster runs. The JetHawks took a 4-1 lead in the sixth when Jonathan Fixler doubled in Steele from third.

Fixler entered the game in place of Koby Clemens who was forced to leave after being hit by a Billings' fastball on his left hand.

The final Lancaster run was allowed by Ching-Lung Lo in the eighth. Steele launched a one run triple to right-center against him to score Jon Gaston who had reached on single to left. Lo also pitched a scoreless seventh after entering the game when Billings left.

Randall Taylor finished the eighth for Lo and Craig Baker pitched a scoreless ninth.

Modesto managed a run in the ninth after Jason Van Kooten started the inning with a single and Wilin Rosario drove him in with a single to left against Shane Wolf.