JETHAWKS : Incident Keeps Burleson Upset with Blaze, Umpire

Manager Rick Burleson was still upset Thursday about what transpired Wednesday night in Bakersfield.

After reliever Robby Christianson hit Bakersfield’s Yolvit Torrealba with a pitch, plate umpire Brian Runge ejected Christianson and Burleson, apparently believing it was intentional.

Burleson said he planned to call California League president Joe Gagliardi to complain that Runge had not warned him before ejecting him.

Friction began between the JetHawks and Blaze on May 1, when JetHawk outfielder Yuni Kim stole second base--while the Blaze was not holding him on--in the ninth inning of a game Lancaster trailed by five runs. Pitcher Brian Knoll hit JetHawk catcher Dusty Wathan with a pitch on the hand, possibly in retaliation.

“I don’t know if [Kim’s steal] was the reason,” Burleson said. “I know my catcher got hit and had to miss a couple games and their pitcher was talking a lot of trash.”

Burleson also denied Christianson was trying to hit Torrealba.

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Tonight’s Game: Lake Elsinore (Fernando De La Cruz, 0-0, 0.00) at JetHawks (Rob Luce, 6-1, 1.99), 7:15.

AROUND THE LEAGUES

First baseman Robert Fick (Newbury Park, Ventura College, Cal State Northridge) had a double and a triple in three at-bats for Class-A West Michigan on Thursday night, extending his hitting streak to 30 games, the longest in pro baseball this season.

When Fick extended his streak to 29 games with a ninth-inning double on Wednesday night, the hit came against Peoria reliever Adam West, a teammate of Fick’s on the 1992 Newbury Oaks American Legion team that won the national championship.

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Scanning Wednesday box scores: TRIPLE A--Right-hander Jeff Suppan (Crespi) pitched a seven-inning, three-hit shutout for Pawtucket, R.I. Suppan is 4-1 with a 3.52 earned-run average. . . Outfielder Chris Sheff (Pepperdine) hit his second home run for Charlotte, N.C. . . . Outfielder Ryan Radmanovich (Pepperdine) hit his seventh home run for Salt Lake City. DOUBLE A--First baseman Brad Fullmer (Montclair Prep) had three singles for Harrisburg, Pa. . . . First baseman Kevin Millar (Hart) hit his ninth home run for Portland, Maine. . . . Right-hander Russ Ortiz (Montclair Prep) gave up two runs in six innings for Shreveport, but did not get a decision. One of the runs Ortiz allowed came on a solo home run by San Antonio designated hitter J.P. Roberge (St. Francis), who drove in four runs in the game. . . . Outfielder Steve Sisco (Thousand Oaks, Moorpark College) hit two doubles for Wichita. CLASS A--Outfielder Mike Glendenning (Crespi, Pierce) had four hits, including two doubles, for Bakersfield. . . . Second baseman Dave Newhan (Pepperdine) had three hits for Visalia. . . . First baseman Nate Dishington (Hoover) hit his sixth home run for Prince William, Va. . . . Outfielder Gabe Kapler (Taft, Moorpark College) had two doubles for Lakeland, Fla.