Storm show no lead in safe in South Final

By: ED WEHDE - Staff Writer | Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:14 PM PDT ∞

LANCASTER-- Once again, the Storm proved that no lead is safe in Lancaster.

Lake Elsinore -- the team that earlier this season erased a nine-run, eighth inning deficit to pull out a win against the JetHawks -- shook off a six-run deficit and roared back for a 13-9 win over Lancaster in Game 2 of the California League South Division Finals at Clear Channel Stadium on Sunday.

"I'm proud of every single person on this team from the clubhouse guy to every player and every staff member," Storm manager Carlos Lezcano said. "There's no giving up. If we fall behind 2-0 (in the series) it's very tough to come back. I tip my hat to everyone in (this clubhouse)."

The win gave Lake Elsinore a split in the first two road games of the best-of-five series and gives them a chance to close things out at home. Game 3 is scheduled for 7:07 tonight at The Diamond and Game 4 for 7:07 Tuesday night at The Diamond.

If necessary, the decisive Game 5 would be at 6:30 p.m.Wednesday in Lancaster.

"Coming out of here with a split is what we wanted," Storm third baseman David Freese said. "Winning two would have been nice, but a split is perfect. Going back home, we'll try to win it there.

"We're confident, but so are they, too. It's going to be a battle the rest of the way. A lot of people think it's going to go five games. If we have to come (back to Lancaster), that's fine."

The JetHawks built a 6-0 lead on the Storm and starter Corey Kluber, who was making his Cal League debut. The tall right-hander gave up six earned runs on five hits -- including two home runs -- and three costly walks in 2 1/3 innings. All three of the walks came around to score.

With the Storm trailing by six, a miscue by JetHawks center fielder Mickey Hall turned the game around.

With the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Josh Alley hit a sinking liner that Hall dove for but didn't get. The ball got past him allowing the three base runners and Alley to score, closing the gap to 6-4 on what was ruled a single and a three-base error.

"I was going hard out of the box and once I hit first, I saw it get under him, so I knew there was a chance (to score)," Alley said. "Carlos waved me in and I got four on it."

Said Lezcano, "That was huge. After that, we had a ballgame."

A solo home run from Brad Correll in the bottom of the fifth pushed the lead back to three, but the Storm scored nine times in the top of the sixth to take a six-run lead.

Seth Johnston belted a two-run homer off reliever Blake Maxwell to cut the deficit to one with no outs in the inning. One out later, Juan Ciriaco started a string of seven straight batters to reach safely. Jose Lobaton, Freese and Josh Howard had RBI hits in that stretch, and Kyle Blanks ripped an opposite-field, three-run homer to cap the rally.

"We were fine," Freese said of the players' mood when they were behind. "We have the offense to come back and we have the pitching to keep us there. The pitching did a great job the whole game. We were staying positive."

Richie Daigle (2-0) followed Kluber with 3 2/3 innings in which he gave up two solo home runs. Greg Burke threw 1 2/3 innings of one-run ball, and Brandon Higelin and R.J. Rodriguez shut the JetHawks down over the final 1 1/3.

"The job Daigle did was outstanding," Lezcano said. "He kept us in the game. All the guys -- Daigle, Burke, Higelin and R.J. closing -- you couldn't ask for any more.

"We gave up six runs in the first three innings then we held them to three the rest of the way. With the wind blowing out, that's an outstanding job."