Newark Bears ~ Drop Opening Game to Kansas City T-Bones

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  American Association Territory Proving Hazardous For Bears.


In Sunday's series finale, the Gary SouthShore RailCats outlasted Bears' starter, Brian Parker.  The home team rallied in the sixth inning to score the tying, and go ahead runs.  Gary starter, Kyle Wilson was strong over seven innings, and could have benefited from better defensive play.  Three of the four runs he allowed came unearned.  The RailCats' bullpen kept the Bears quiet the rest of the way.  The game ended in a 5-4 final score.  The Bears wound up dropping three of four games in their first trip to Gary, Indiana.

Next stop - Kansas City..., "Kansas City, Here I Come...,"  - to take on the T-Bones.

NEWARK BEARS

vs.

Kansas City T-Bones

From

Community America Ballpark

Gary, Indiana

T-Bones Baseball

American Association of Independent Professional Baseball

Caleb Cuevas was making his second start for the Bears, and Brian Grening was on the hill for BBQ Nation.  And Kansas City waisted no time putting Newark on the grill.  After scoring two quick runs in the first, the T-Bones slow cooked and smoked the Bears; adding another run in the fourth for taste.


Brian Grening was excellent through six innings, allowing three hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out six.  For Newark, as has been Coach Oberkfell's desire this season, he's determined to make his starting pitchers be accountable for six innings, no matter the situation.  And so he let Cuevas struggle through seven walks, and three runs on four hits, in 5.2 innings, before finally getting lifted for Matt Lyons.  To his credit, Cuevas struck out five.

Thanks to three unearned runs, Newark finally posted a total four runs in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead.  But Matt Lyons gave two back in the bottom of the seventh, and Anthony Pluta gave Kansas City two more in the eighth for an 7-4 final score.

Kansas City's Brian Grening pitched eight full ininngs for the win.  Jacob Wiley picked up the save

The Bears have now lost four of five games during this swing through the American Association.




Mike.BTB