JetHawks Go Down to Blaze Without Glory

On a day that began with the JetHawks hosting a baseball clinic for area youths, the players proceeded to put on a how-not-to clinic Wednesday night at the Hangar.

The JetHawks made errors, gave up home runs, walked batters with the bases loaded and threw wild pitches, losing to the hapless Bakersfield Blaze, 10-7, in the bottom of the ninth, with most of the paid crowd of 4,230 already on its way home.

“You can learn from your mistakes and we made plenty of them tonight, whether they be offensively, defensively or pitching,” said Manager Dave Brundage. “We gave them runs every which way we could.”

Just after the JetHawks had pulled to within one run in the bottom of the eighth, they gave up two more runs in the ninth, one scoring on a walk to Chris Paxton--a former Palmdale High star who had two bases-loaded walks and hit his fifth home run--and another on a wild pitch.

The JetHawks (3-5) made a comeback in the seesaw game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, pulling within 8-7. Jesus Marquez singled and came around on a ground ball and two wild pitches. One out later, Andy Augustine pushed a two-out single into right field, driving in Scot Sealy from second.

The late rally came just after the JetHawks had surrendered a two-run lead with a horrendous sixth inning, in which Bakersfield scored five runs to go ahead, 8-5.

Starting pitcher Marino Santana (5-9), who gave up three solo home runs in his first five innings, gave up hits to the first two batters then walked the third before he was yanked.

Reliever John Daniels, who is known for his control and sinker, was summoned in hopes of getting a double play. But he walked a run in, then another scored on a forceout.

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Bakersfield 10, JetHawks 7

Bakersfield 020 105 002 -- 10 10 2

JetHawks 100 040 020 -- 7 7 2

Knighton, Lukasiewicz (7), Oldham (8), Maine (9) and Paxton, Johnson (2); Santana, Daniels (6) and Augustine.

W--Knighton (4-9).L--Santana (5-9).S--Maine (6).

2B: B--Watts; J--Cook.3B:J--Marquez.HR:B--Espinal (14), Collier (3), Paxton (5).

Records: Bakersfield 2-6; JetHawks 3-5.