NEWARK BEARS: Series Against Worcester Tied 1-1.
Game One: Monday Final - Bears 4; Tornadoes 3
Newark's DH; Kyle LaMotta; drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night in the first game of a four game series against the visiting Worcester Tornadoes.
Anthony Pluta got the win in relief as Coach Raines used four Bears' pitchers to eek out a win. Aaron Kalb started for Newark and lasted 5.1 innings. He gave up six hits and all three of Worcester's earned runs. He walked four and struck out four along the way.
The bullpen took over for Newark and turned in a stellar effort. Chris Collins was called on first. He turned in 1.2 innings and gave up one hit. Second out of the pen was Matt Fitton. In 1.1 innings, he gave up a walk; one hit; and pounded the catcher's mitt with three strikeouts. Anthony Pluta closed it out and earned a win as the beneficiary of Kyle LaMotta's game winning hit.
Starting pitcher Alex Smith and the Bears suffered a calamitous first inning against Worcester. Three errors; two walks; and three hits all led to an quick 5-0 deficit. Only one Tornado run was earned. And after only two innings pitched, it was off to the showers for Smith.
Recently signed shortstop; Juan Martinez (Jeff Toth was released); committed two of the Bears' errors while right fielder Danny Santiesteban committed the third Newark miscue of the inning with an errant throw.
Over the third and fourth innings, things just proceeded to get worse for Newark. Three more runs came across the plate for a 8-0 Worcester lead. Eric Eden was summoned to pitch in the third inning as Coach Raines made an early call to the bullpen. And Eric fared little better. He pitched 4.1 innings and allowed Worcester another five runs on eight hits.
Last night's winning pitcher; Anthony Pluta; was then called upon to take over in the seventh. But the Bears were behind 10-3 by then and had committed six errors in the game. Pluta pitched a scoreless eighth. Mikey Mehlich was tasked with the ninth inning as the third reliever used by Coach Raines. He served up a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
Worcester starting pitcher; Ryan Bicondoa cruised, but ran out of gas in the fifth inning. After getting the first two outs, he allowed three straight singles before walking Danny Santiesteban with the bases loaded for the Bears' first run of the game. Over his first four innings however, he struck out nine Newark batters, while allowing only three hits and two walks.
The Tornado bullpen picked up where Bicondoa left off. Worcesters' relievers struck out another six batters in wrapping up the second game of this four game series; knotting things up at a game apiece. Danny Santiesteban was ejected after striking out looking for the second out of the ninth inning.
Fifteen hits and six errors; you can't win like that. And that's the kind of game it was for the Bears; frustrating.
The Brockton Rox defeated the Rockland Boulders tonight, and coupled with the Bears loss, means the two teams are tied again for second place overall in the CanAm League with 15-10 records respectively.
Mike.BTB
