In a critical game, the JetHawks came back with a late rally to beat Inland Empire, 7-4, at The Hangar Tuesday night.

Lancaster scored twice in the seventh inning and four times in the eighth to get within a game of first place in the South Division.

Trailing by a run in the eighth, Lancaster (25-27) put together an impressive two-out rally. Tyler Nevin (pictured above), who celebrated his 21st birthday Tuesday, started it off with a single. Willie Abreu followed with a base hit. Both men would score on a Joel Diaz double and the JetHawks took their first lead, 5-4, of the night. Jacob Bosiokovic made it 7-4 with a monstrous two-run home run, his first as a JetHawk.

Diaz was a force for the offense Tuesday. The catcher went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI. He reached base all four times he came to the plate.

It was Diaz who got the comeback started in the seventh inning. The JetHawks were behind 4-1 when Diaz singled with one out. He later scored on a Max George single. Manny Melendez added an RBI double to bring Lancaster within one.

Salvador Justo (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to pick up the win, but Matt Dennis turned in one of his best starts of the season. The righty went seven innings for the first time in 2018, allowing four runs on six hits. Justin Lawrence struck out two in a perfect ninth for the save.

Inland Empire (26-26) took the lead in the top of the first on a Jo Adell home run. In the bottom of the inning, Colton Welker went deep to tie the game. The home run was the first for Welker since April 22 in San Bernardino.

Welker’s home run was the only run Lancaster scored against starter Nate Bertness in six innings, but the bullpen struggled for Inland Empire. Aaron Cox allowed two runs in the seventh, and Eduardo Rivera (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on four hits in the eighth.

Here’s the box score.

Lancaster’s win brings them within a game of first place in the South Division. The JetHawks and 66ers play six more times before the end of the First Half.

The four-game series continues Wednesday night. Heath Holder (4-0) is set to make his second start of the year for Lancaster, while Jason Alexander (2-3) gets the ball for Inland Empire. First pitch from The Hangar is at 6:35 pm.