JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: COACH INTERNS AT THIRD BASE.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer

In the late innings of JetHawks' blowout wins or losses, manager Rick Burleson has a tendency to give up his spot in the third base coaching box to aspiring manager Dana Williams, the team's hitting coach.

Williams got an early taste of his mentor's territory Thursday night at Rancho Cucamonga. Burleson was in the dugout as early as the top of the third, apparently tired of watching his team trying to rally from a huge early deficit.

Mays hot, others not: The JetHawks' starting rotation is in shambles outside of Joe Mays, who has allowed just one earned run in his last 16 innings. Denny Stark, who like Mays was promoted from Wisconsin, has pitched well but is out with a strained right elbow.

The rest of the starting crew had Burleson steaming and spewing cliches after the JetHawks were blanked 9-0 by the Quakes.

``Right now it's Mays and pray for rain,'' Burleson said. ``If the pitching doesn't pick up we could be right back where we were at the end of the first half.''

Still in the hunt: The JetHawks are still six games over .500 in the second half and in the thick of the California League's Valley Division playoff hunt. They completed the first half with a 33-37 record, dropping six of seven.

Much needed relief: In six of seven road games over the past week, Lancaster's starters have pitched as many as five innings just once, and that was by usual reliever Jason Bond.

In his two starts, Kevin Gryboski combined to throw 5 -2/3 innings and allowed 12 earned runs. Damaso Marte was knocked out in the fifth contest after surrendering four runs on seven hits.

Eric Morgan, who is on a pitch count, was torched for five runs in just 2 -1/3. It translated into a busy week for a bullpen that has bailed out the starters several times in the season's second half.

``You just can't be down like that every night and expect to bounce back,'' said Burleson, who also found time to chastise his team's recent offensive and defensive lapses.

Trading places: Morgan and Joe Victery, who both landed on the disabled list with arm problems, are working their way back to full strength.

Morgan started and Victery followed in relief on Tuesday at Lake Elsinore, and the duo will flip-flop tonight when the JetHawks open a three-game home series with San Jose at 7:15 p.m.

While Morgan failed to get out of the third, Victery responded with 4 -2/3 scoreless innings, limiting the Storm to just two hits and a walk.

``Those guys are in kind of a friendly competition for that fifth spot,'' Burleson said of Morgan and Victery. ``We'll see what they can do (tonight).''

Prospect watch: The Sporting News singles out one prospect in each major league organization during the magazine's weekly baseball report. JetHawks have been common in the Seattle Mariners update.

Reliever Sean Spencer was the latest honoree, joining the likes of catcher Jim Horner and promoted JetHawks Rob Luce and Chris Dean as well as Carlos Villalobos, recently traded to the Detroit Tigers.

Expect third baseman Jason Regan to make an appearance sometime before the season ends. The 21-year-old has punished Midwest and Cal League pitching.

Regan has hit a combined 22 home runs, including 13 since being sent from Wisconsin to the JetHawks at the All-Star break.