JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: PITCHER'S CAREER IGNITED AS STARTER JETHAWKS' WECHSLER TURNS IT AROUND.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A sign that Justin Wechsler's niche is as a starter: Even when the JetHawks' right-hander struggled with his command, he managed to get through six innings.

He also kept his team in Wednesday's game against the High Desert Mavericks despite walking four, hitting two and yielding a two-run homer that put the JetHawks in a 2-0 deficit from which they never quite recovered in a 5-3 loss.

Wechsler began the year in an unfamiliar role: the bullpen. The 2001 fourth-round pick from Ball State (Ind.) had pitched in relief only once in the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor-league system.

But he was caught in a numbers crunch when assigned to Lancaster. His first six appearances were in relief; the right-hander allowed at least one earned run in four of the games. But he has gone at least five innings in every start since his first, which came April 28 against High Desert.

As a starter, the 23-year-old is 5-3 with a 3.47 earned-run average. He had a 7.84 ERA as a reliever.

``One of the things we talked about when he was in the 'pen early, he wasn't sure if he needed to come in and be a (maximum) effort type of guy who pitches as hard as he can,'' JetHawks pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. ``He has settled in as a starter. The organization has always seen him as a starter. He just got in a new position where in spring training we had five guys.''

When Scott Barber was sent down to low Single-A South Bend (Ind.), Wechsler seized the opportunity. Wednesday was his first loss after winning three consecutive outings.

He battled through problems with his command to hold the Mavericks after Jason Belcher's second-inning two-run homer. But Wechsler's pitch count reached nearly 100 by the sixth inning. Despite two-hitting High Desert, he labored through four walks and two hit batters.

``They got Wechsler's pitch count up early,'' JetHawks manager Mike Aldrete said. ``He was effective, but he also walked four guys, hit a couple guys. That's a lot of baserunners and stressful innings. Hard innings.''

--Around the bases: The JetHawks' offense struggled Wednesday against the pitching-thin Mavericks. Other than Kyle Nichols' solo homer in the fifth and a a two-run triple by Danny Richar in the seventh, the JetHawks didn't put much pressure on Mavericks' starter Dan Hall and two relievers.

--On the mend: Pitcher Francisco Trejo, on the disabled list since mid- May with shoulder tendinitis, threw a bullpen session Thursday and will throw another Sunday.

Stottlemyre said the target day for Trejo's return is Tuesday, when the JetHawks host Inland Empire.

--The scout: The Pittsburgh Pirates tapped the Antelope Valley in this week's draft, taking pitcher Kent Wulf of Quartz Hill in the ninth round Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh selected Palmdale pitcher Troy Harrington, the younger brother of former Falcons' standout Matt Harrington. The picks have a JetHawks' connection. One of Pittsburgh's part-time scouts is The Hangar's official scorer, David Guenther. He assisted in the evaluation of the drafted players.

--Midwest All-Star: Ex-Highland High standout John Santor was named to the low Single-A Midwest League All-Star Game on June 17 at Comstock Park in Michigan. Santor, a former 35th-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, is batting .328 with two homers and 27 RBI for the Peoria (Ill.) Chiefs.

Chris Cocoles, [phone]

chris.cocoles(at)dailynews.com

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JUSTIN WECHSLER

He turned a 7.84 ERA as a reliever into a 3.4 7 ERA with a 5-3 record as a starter.