JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: DESPITE DIM LIGHTING, JETHAWKS MAINTAIN ENERGY AT BAKERSFIELD.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

BAKERSFIELD - The JetHawks spent nearly four hours on a round-trip bus ride across the Tehachapi mountain range on Highway 58 to play the Bakersfield Blaze at Sam Lynn Ballpark under dim lights before little fanfare.

While it's difficult to determine if those factors impact the JetHawks' performance, recent history suggests otherwise.

Since 2000, Lancaster had lost 19 of 24 games at Bakersfield before thrashing the Blaze 10-1 Tuesday.

Adding to the doldrums of a long trip through one of Southern California's hilliest and steepest regions, are late start times. Games at Bakersfield typically begin at 7:45 p.m. because the stadium's home plate faces directly into the setting sun.

Games at Bakersfield are also typically played in front of the California League's sparsest crowds. Tuesday's game drew only 657, contributing to an environment JetHawks manager Bill Plummer said has a tendency to lull players to sleep.

``It's real quiet out there,'' Plummer said. ``You have to self-motivate.''

Said JetHawks outfielder Steve Garrabrants: ``There really isn't a lot of energy in this stadium. You definitely have to keep yourself on your toes. I caught myself out there a few times telling myself 'keep going, keep going.' ''

Garrabrants, who played his first game at Bakersfield on Tuesday, said the stadium's substandard lighting produced a few dark spots in the outfield, but said it didn't seem to negatively impact his at-bats.

``The lights are really dim here,'' Garrabrants said. ``It's a weird park.''

Bakersfield fans are hopeful a new stadium will be built to produce a more lively environment, but that won't happen until a new owner is found for the team, which is currently owned by the California League office.

--Pitching in: Matt Chico's dominant outing Tuesday was highlighted by his work in the fifth inning, when he protected a 5-0 lead, escaping a bases-loaded, no-outs situation unscathed.

The Blaze loaded the bases on consecutive singles and a throwing error by third baseman Jay Garthwaite to start the inning. Chico then struck out Abigail Sandoval, got Craig Ringe to fly out to center, and induced Kevin Mahar to ground out to third.

``He didn't let the error affect him, he picked us up,'' Plummer said. ``That was big for us and it was big for him. We were lucky to get out of it.''

The left-handed Chico (7-2) set the tone for the JetHawks' victory retiring the first 11 batters he faced to start the game. He struck out eight and allowed four hits and no walks in seven innings of shutout ball.

--Briefly: Plummer said the JetHawks probably won't get any extra pitching help until Sept. 1, just five days before the start of the California League playoffs. Lancaster is close to clinching a spot and will carry 24 players - 12 pitchers and 12 position players - until Sept. 1. ... Alex Frazier hit a towering three-run homer to left in the seventh inning Tuesday. The homer was his 17th of the season. ... Danny Richar hit a two-run shot to right in the second, his 15th of the season.

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com