JETHAWKS SHED NO TEARS.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer

Modesto A's manager Jeffrey Leonard wasn't going to get any sympathy from JetHawks manager Rick Burleson.

Burleson has been there. He's seen his team hit the ball well but have nothing to show for it because of mistakes. So after Sunday's game - a 7-2 JetHawks victory over the error-plagued A's - Burleson offered some condolences but no apologies.

``That's kind of the way this game goes,'' Burleson said. ``If you put (the A's) in the same situation, they're certainly not going to feel for us.''

The A's collected nine hits off the JetHawks' best pitcher, Rob Luce. Several other balls were hit hard but ended up in the gloves of the JetHawks.

Meanwhile, the JetHawks were efficient at the plate and in the field. Two of their eight hits were home runs - solo shots by James Clifford and Chris Dean - and Miguel Correa's triple accounted for two more runs.

While Luce and shortstop Joel Ramirez were making sparkling defensive plays to end the second inning, Modesto was playing give away with its gloves. A's errors led to three JetHawks runs.

Modesto's breakdown was so complete even its own baserunners were costing it scoring opportunities.

With Jose Ortiz on third with two outs in the third, T.R. Marcinczyk drilled a Luce pitch down the third-base line. The ball struck Ortiz, who had no time to dodge the line drive and was called out.

``We've had games like that this season,'' Burleson said. ``Unless we were scoring eight to 10 runs a game ourselves, we were losing because of so many mistakes.''

Joltin' Joel: His confidence slipping because of inactivity and a sub-.200 batting average, Joel Ramirez is finding his niche with the JetHawks as a capable middle infielder and pinch hitter.

``It's just a matter of having more concentration,'' said Ramirez, whose fortunes began to turn around at Visalia when he produced a pinch-hit two-run double that tied the game before he was given a questionable error on a hard-hit ball that won the game for the Oaks.

Including that game-tying double, Ramirez has six hits in his last 17 at-bats to lift his average to .250. On Sunday, he hit the ball hard three of four times, including a grounder that was misplayed by Modeso third baseman Cody McKay for an error that sparked the three unearned runs for the JetHawks.

``I've been a lot more confident since the beginning of the season,'' said Ramirez, a Midwest League All-Star last season while at Wisconsin.

He has become a valuable and more than adequate replacement for regular shortstop Luis Molina, whose tender left knee (coming off a torn ACL) must be rested periodically.

Ramirez' leaping grab of a Troy Penix line drive Sunday was one of the better defensive plays of the season.

``I guess it was the just the right time to jump (for the ball),'' Ramirez said.

Personal rooting section: For Luce, it only seemed like the entire city of Rescue was on hand Sunday to see his California League-leading sixth win of the season.

Luce left 24 tickets for family and friends to take the trip to Modesto from the city of 1,000, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento.

``A lot of them hadn't seen me pitch yet,'' said Luce.