WHITE'S STRUGGLE CONTINUES SAN BERN. 12, JETHAWKS 5.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO - That Bill White is a promising left-handed pitcher is more a product of human engineering than genetics.

A natural right-hander, White began throwing left-handed as a 3-year-old under the tutelage of his late grandfather William Cowart, who believed that pitching from the left side someday could open doors to a pro baseball career.

A rising star in the parent Arizona Diamondbacks system suffered a setback last fall, when a torn labrum ended his stint in the prospect-rich Arizona Fall League.

He underwent surgery in October and isn't expected to return to full strength until next season.

White, who is in Lancaster on an unofficial rehabilitation assignment, struggled in his second start with the JetHawks, allowing eight runs on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 12-5 loss to the San Bernardino Stampede in front of 2,201 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

White (0-1) knows that throwing pain-free as he did Sunday - not victories and losses - is what the Diamondbacks are most concerned about. But he acknowledged that not being able to perform the way he's capable has been difficult.

``It makes it hard knowing that even if they're struggling, I can't help them,'' White said. ``That's all I've got.''

The loss ended Lancaster's season-best four-game winning streak.

--Notes: JetHawks infielder Corey Myers caught the last two innings of Sunday's game. Myers, the Diamondbacks' fourth overall selection in the 1999 amateur draft, hadn't caught since his junior year in high school. ... Reliever Greg Belson, who's been bothered by biceps tendinitis, said he felt fine after pitching a scoreless inning in his first outing since July 4.

--Matchup: Right-hander Scott Barber (4-2, 3.29 ERA) will pitch for the JetHawks in the last of a four-game road series against San Bernardino tonight at 7. Left-hander Glen Bott (3-5, 4.00) will start for the Stampede

MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT

Former Loyola Marymount standout Billy Traber, who has been one of the best pitchers in the minors this season, won his Triple-A debut for the Buffalo (N.Y.) Bison on Saturday, throwing eight scoreless innings with four strikeouts to beat Syracuse (N.Y.) 9-0. Traber now has won six consecutive starts and was promoted by the Cleveland Indians. In his past 11 appearances, Traber is 9-0 with a 2.22 ERA.

--Saturday's top performers: Freddy Sanchez (Burbank High) doubled and walked twice for Double-A Trenton (N.J.) to reach base safely for a 42nd consecutive game. ... Simon Ferrer (Pepperdine) doubled and drove in two runs for the Dodgers' Gulf Coast League rookie team in Vero Beach, Fla. ... Brian Barre (USC) hit his sixth home run for rookie-league Casper (Wyo.). ... Kameron Loe (Granada Hills/Cal State Northridge) tossed seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and two hits allowed to get the victory for rookie Pulaski (Va.), 9-0 over Danville (Va.). ... Adam Nikolic (CSUN) had two hits and two runs scored for Single-A Hudson Valley (N.Y.).

- Chris Cocoles

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MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT (see text)