JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: `UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT' SEVERAL PLAYERS, COACHES RECEIVE SUSPENSIONS.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Emotions generated by a pennant race and exacerbated by a grueling game that went into the 15th inning eventually turned to violence in Monday night's game between the JetHawks and Inland Empire at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

In one of the most shocking incidents in recent California League history, Inland Empire's Evel Bastida charged the mound with a bat in hand and with a full swing struck JetHawks pitcher Josh Kranawetter in the hip after he'd been hit by a pitch.

A bench-clearing brawl ensued, with no serious injuries reported.

``I was very surprised that he came after him with the bat,'' said JetHawks reliever Carlton Wells, who suffered minor injuries to one of his fingers when his hand was stepped on in the bottom of a pile. ``Everybody thought he was going to drop the bat, and so did I, but he just didn't.

``It was unbelievable, I couldn't believe what I was seeing,'' Wells said of the sequence of events that led to the brawl. ``That's very wrong what he did, and I hope he gets punished to the fullest extent (of the law).''

The brawl lasted about 10 minutes before umpires John Brammer and Brandon Leopoldus, with assistance from law-enforcement officials, were able to separate the players and send them to their respective clubhouses before suspending the game.

The incident occurred in the top of the 15th inning, after Inland Empire took the lead 7-4 on John Castellano's three-run double off Kranawetter.

The game will be replayed from that point when the two teams meet for a three-game series at Inland Empire this weekend, most likely Friday night, California League official John Oldham said.

About eight players on each team will be suspended and/or fined, Oldham said. He confirmed JetHawks hitting coach Damon Mashore and Inland Empire hitting coach Henry Cotto were among that group.

Oldham said the suspensions will be for three games and they'll be staggered, so teams will be able to play the remainder of their regular season.

JetHawks manager Mike Aldrete said infielder Dan Uggla and pitcher Doug Slaten were among the suspended players and wouldn't play in the Rancho Cucamonga series.

``There will be no forfeits,'' Oldham said. ``We'll work with the teams.''

The suspensions come at in inopportune time for both teams. Not counting Monday night's game, the JetHawks (67-60) trailed Inland Empire (68-58) in the wild-card race.

Seattle Mariners farm director Benny Looper said Bastida has been suspended for the remainder of the season and that his future with Inland Empire's parent club will be determined during the offseason.

``It's a very unfortunate incident,'' Looper said. ``We're sending a message to him and to all of our players that we're not going to put up with that type of behavior.''

Looper said he spoke with Tommy Jones, the JetHawks' parent Arizona Diamondbacks farm director, on Tuesday, and said both organizations will tell players that any aggressive action in the upcoming series will not be tolerated.

``We won't have any incidents,'' Looper said.

Gideon Rubin [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com