Gaston Named California/Carolina League All Star Game MVP

6/24/2009

Walkoff Homer in 10th Caps Memorable Day, Gives Cal League 2-1 Win

(LAKE ELSINORE, CA) – On one pitch in the tenth inning on Tuesday night, Jon Gaston turned a frustrating night into one of the most memorable of his career. The JetHawks leftfielder, who had stuck out in his first three at-bats in the California/Carolina League All Star Game, rocketed a first-pitch fastball off the batters’ eye in center field to lift the California League All Stars to a 2-1 win over their Carolina League counterparts.

Gaston, who later admitted he had been hoping for an opportunity to end the game with one swing, got a fastball to lead off the frame, and he knew exactly what to do with it. Gaston, who had five home runs at the Diamond in the first half, pulverized a hard offering from former JetHawk Derrick Loop, who on this night was representing the Salem Red Sox. For his game-ending heroics and fine work in the field (Gaston recorded five putouts and made a great play in the eighth to throw out Potomac’s Michael Burgess at second base), he was named the California League’s Most Valuable Player.

On the Carolina League side, the MVP was given to Ryne Miller, who struck out five of the six batters he faced. In total, there were 25 strikeouts in a game controlled by the men on the mound.

The Cal League All Stars jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when San Jose’s Buster Posey singled home High Desert slugger Joe Dunigan in the first inning. But they were held quite for eight consecutive innings from that point forward.

In total, eleven relievers hurled at least one inning of scoreless ball, the last of which was Visalia’s Patrick McAnaney, who registered the win when Gaston’s blast cleared the fence in center. Loop was given the loss, even though he got a big out to end the eighth inning and pitched a scoreless ninth to send the game to extras. Loop was backed by a boisterous rooting section from Salem.

The Carolina Stars tied the game in the eight inning when Pedro Florimon Jr. led off the inning with a triple and came into score on an error by Bakersfield’s Matthew Lawson.

Earlier in the night, Gaston finished second in the home run derby with four homers in two rounds. Kinston’s Lonnie Chisenhall won the abbreviated event with five long balls.

The JetHawks kick off the second half on Thursday June 25th against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at 7:00 PM the Hangar. It will be a Cheers Buck Beers Thursday and a $1,000 Dollar Giveaway. Great ticket packages, including season tickets and flexible mini-plans, are on sale now for the 2009 season and may be ordered by calling (661) 726-5400. For more information, please visit the JetHawks official website at www.JetHawks.com.