KAYE'S K A WINNER : JETHAWKS 9, BAKERSFIELD 3.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

From opening day, the JetHawks closer's job was Justin Kaye's to lose. He lost it in July.

The California League all-star went without a save since June 25 . . . until, that is, Sunday, when the right-hander returned to his April and May form with clutch bullpen work.

The JetHawks, helped by Kaye's key eighth-inning strikeout of Doug Clark, beat the Bakersfield Blaze 9-3 at Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

Kaye's 11th save was a confidence builder after the 23-year-old was hit hard in July. His previous outing, on Thursday, lasted one inning, when San Jose scored five times and ballooned his earned run average to 6.17.

When starter Greg Wooten (6-3) faltered with two outs and the tying runs on base in the eighth of a 6-3 game Sunday, Kaye was summoned to face the pinch-hitting Clark, whose .345 average was the Cal League's third highest.

At 1-1 in the count, Kaye threw consecutive wicked changeups that Clark missed for the third out.

``I've been trying to get my mechanics back to where they were at the beginning of the year,'' Kaye said. ``It's been a tough July.

``I think August will be a good month for me.''

Seattle Mariners minor-league pitching coordinator Bryan Price agreed. ``He has good stuff and he throws three good pitches,'' he said. ``It hasn't been so much the quality of the pitches but his mechanics.''

Roster move: The JetHawks added relief pitcher Allan Simpson from Wisconsin of the Midwest League.

Matchup: JetHawks right-hander Russ Koehler (0-2, 7.89) faces Blaze right-hander Tony Coscia (7-9, 4.35) in a 7:15 p.m. start at the Hangar.

MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT

Ryan McGuire (El Camino Real-UCLA), who spent 51 games with the Montreal Expos, was sent back to Triple-A Ottawa on July 28 after hitting .227 with two homers and 15 RBI for the Expos. McGuire went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBI for the Lynx on Sunday. McGuire also went 2 for 5 with a double and three RBI Saturday.

Saturday's top performers: Despite allowing two earned runs in three innings, Erik Hiljus (Canyon) recorded his third save for Triple-A Toledo. . . . J.P. Roberge (St. Francis-USC) had two hits for Triple-A Omaha. . . . Andrew Lorraine (Hart) was a hard-luck loser for Triple-A Iowa. Lorraine (9-8) allowed just two earned runs in seven innings but lost 2-0 to Tacoma. . . . Robbie Crabtree (CSUN) threw two scoreless innings for Triple-A Fresno. . . . Former JetHawk Jim Horner doubled twice and knocked in four runs for Double-A New Haven. . . . Brian Cooper (USC) improved to 9-5 with a complete-game (three runs, eight hits, eight strikeouts, no walks) in a 7-3 win at Bowie.

- Chris Cocoles

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BOX: MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT (see text)