By CHRIS BRANAM
Valley Press Staff Writer
BAKERSFIELD - The first two were great. The third, not so good.
That was how manager Rick Burleson and the rest of the Lancaster JetHawks felt Monday night after Bakersfield beat them 11-6 in front of a paid attendance of 1,712 at Sam Lynn Ballpark.
The Blaze, who improved to 58-76 overall, the second-worst record in the California League, avoided a sweep in their home finale.
The second-place JetHawks (39-25) fell three games behind High Desert, a 4-2 winner over San Bernardino, in the Valley Division and saw a game lopped off their wild-card lead on third-place Modesto.
The JetHawks (72-62) lead the A's (70-64) by two games in the overall record standings. They head to Modesto on a sour note, however.
"We just didn't play very well," Burleson said. "(Pitching coach) Jim (Slaton) said that maybe it was the third commute. We played lethargic."
Defensively, the JetHawks were just a little out of sync. Jason Regan made only his seventh error of the second half in the second inning when he couldn't handle a potential double-play grounder.
That allowed the Blaze to score three times against JetHawks starter Ivan Montane (1-2), who was inconsistent.
Montane gave up five hits in the first two innings, then breezed through the third and fourth, before running into trouble in the fifth.
He got knocked out after Mike Glendenning's double down the right-field line gave Bakersfield a 5-4 lead.
The Blaze ended up scoring four times in the fifth when Art Baeza hit a two-run single off Montane's replacement, Eric Morgan.
Ironically, the Blaze's fifth-inning rally was kept alive when shortstop Joel Ramirez doubleclutched on a throw to first in an attempt to complete a double play.
"We didn't turn the double plays we should have turned," Burleson said.
The JetHawks took a 4-3 lead in the fifth and threatened for more. But Nathan Rice, a left-hander who was a 19th-round draft choice by the San Francisco Giants in the June draft, induced Josh Watts to fly out with the bases loaded.
Rice (1-0) threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings before the JetHawks singled three times to load the bases against him in the eighth. Mick Pageler came on to retire Cirilo Cruz on a groundout to preserve a 9-6 Blaze lead.
Pageler pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his league-leading 27th save.
The Blaze collected 15 hits, including 11 singles, against three Lancaster pitchers.
"We just gave them so many opportunities," Burleson said.
The JetHawks travel to Modesto today with the chance to clinch a playoff berth by Wednesday. Their magic number over the A's is four.
"We've got to win to get in," Burleson said. "I'm sure (the A's) will be ready for us."