Newark Bears Sweep Saturday Double Header From Rockland

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS - Hear The Urban Grizzly Roar!


The urban grizzlies are alive and well.  Newark swept a double-header Saturday at the Den from the first place Rockland Boulders, and are now winners of three in a row.  Saturday's victories also got the Bears to the .500 mark as well, with a 9-9 record.  They leapfrogged the New Jersey Jackals (9-12) into third place, and presently trail the Boulders (13-8) by a mere three games.

Jim Schult and Jorge Vasquez out-pitched Bobby Blevins and the Boulders in Game One to gain a 5-3 victory.  Ryan Fennell took the mound in Game Two, and pitched 4.1 innings (seven inning for  double headers) for the win.  He allowed four runs on eight hits, but only two earned.  He walked one and struck out six to gain his first victory of the season.  Bridger Hunt and Jamar Walton drove in all six runs for the Bears with three RBI apiece.  Rockland scored one time in the top of the seventh, reliever but Jorge Vasquez was able to close of the Boulders to preserve a 6-5 final, and gain his third save of the season.

The end of a career appears at hand.  On June 7th, the Newark Bears released thirty-five year old D'Angelo Jimenez.  After fourteen games and fifty-seven trips to the plate, Jimenez was batting .281 while sporting a quality .349 OBP.  He hit six doubles, one home run and had ten runs batted in.

D'Angelo was an eight year major league veteran, playing for seven different clubs, while his last at bat at the big league level came during the 2007 season.  Last year, Jimenez split playing time between Newark, the independent American Association, and played in Mexico as part of a long seventeen year minor league career.



Mike.BTB

Newark Bears: New Jersey Jackals Suffer Late Game Clawing

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  The Final Five Games Are At Hand


The Quebec Capitales have clinched the CanAm League's division title.  The New Jersey Jackals have locked up the second playoff spot.  For the Newark Bears, the final five games of their regular season are at hand.


Wednesday night was an off day for the club.  Tuesday evening, Newark made a very short trip up the road for what is effectively their last road trip of the season against the New Jersey Jackals.  The series resumes Thursday.  After concluding this series Friday evening, the Bears will host the Worcester Tornadoes to finish out the season.


The Bears are currently 33-62, and have opened up a six game lead over Worcester.  Therefore Newark is assured of not finishing in last place.  That distinction will fall on the Tornadoes; as if they didn't have enough troubles already.


Tuesday's game was a great back and forth battle.  Both starting pitchers got bombed.  Newark's Julian Sampson faced off against Jackal's starter, Dustin Birosak.  Sampson only lasted 4.1 innings.  He surrendered nine runs; eight earned; and allowed eleven hits.  He also walked three.  Sampson  managed to strikeout two batters before getting yanked.  Birosak line was equally ugly.  In 5.1 innings, he allowed ten hits, and eight earned runs.  He walked two and struck out five.


New Jersey scored three times in the first, and picked up another run in the second, putting Newark down 4-0 early.  D'Angelo Jimenez' RBI single got Newark on the board in the third.  In the fourth, Juan Martinez crushed his seventh home run of the season to make it a 4-2 game.  New Jersey then lowered the hammer in the fifth inning.  Four hits, two errors, and five runs later, the Jackals held a 9-2 lead.


In their very next at-bat, the Newark Bears clawed back and plated seven runs to achieve a 9-9 tie.  Five Newark hits and an error later, and there was a brand new ball game to play with three more innings to go.  It was the Bears who would pull ahead.  They scored a run in the eighth and another in the ninth to complete an 11-9 win.


Pitching in the seventh and eighth inning, Anthony Pluta gets credit for his fourth relief win this season.  And winding up a rather stellar season, closer Jorge Vasquez notched his twenty-first save of the season.  He has seventy strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched.

TONIGHT

 

NEWARK BEARS

vs.

New Jersey Jackals

FROM

Yogi Berra Stadium

New Jersey

Mike.BTB

Newark Bears: Brick City Season Winding Down; Defeat Worcester

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  The Brick City Nine Are Down to Their Last Ten Games of the Regular Season.  After That, No One Is Sure What Happens Next.


The Newark Bears baseball club is down to their last ten games of the 2012 regular season.  There will be no playoffs for them this year.  Newark has a 3.5 game lead over the last place Worcester Tornadoes.  And over the final stretch of games, that's exactly where the Bears want to keep them.  I guess symbolically, it might mean something; if not cosmetically then; not finishing last.  But no.., there will be no post-season for Newark this Fall; only great uncertainty.


The beginning of the end of the season was played in the now traditional Wednesday matinee game.  Game one of ten left on the schedule, was won by Newark by a 4-2 score today.  This was also the end of a three game series between the Bears and Tornadoes, in which Worcester won the first two.  So the Bears needed this game to keep from getting swept.  They will now host a series against the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association.


Pedro Rivera pitched impressively for Newark over 7.1 innings to earn his fourth win of the season against ten losses.  He surrendered seven hits and allowed only two earned runs.  He walked three and struck out six.  Jorge Vasquez pitched the final 2.1 innings to earn his nineteenth save of the season.  He allowed but one hit, and struck out two batters.


Worcester jumped ahead with two runs in the second inning.  But the Bears caught up to Tornado's starter, Michael Gedman, in the third inning with four runs.  After an RBI single by Juan Martinez, D'Angelo Jiminez unloaded with a three run home run to give the Bears a 4-2 lead; and final.  That was D'Angelo's fourth home run of the season.  Worcester's Michael Gedman, stayed in the game and pitched all eight innings against Newark.


The Bears are now 31-60 this season.  The Quebec Capitales and New Jersey Jackals have pretty much wrapped up the top two playoffs spots.  The only race left is for first place overall of the CanAm League.  The Capitales hold a 5.5 game lead over New Jersey with ten games left in their respective schedules.


As an operating club, Worcester is still holding on to at least finish out the season.  Once Labor Day rolls around, their future is uncertain, if not doomed.  For the Bears, their future is a little less doubtful.  Or is it?  Until word comes down from ownership, or we see U-Haul trucks pulling up to Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, we'll just have to wait and see.  For now, nine games remain.


Let's Go Bears.




Mike.BTB

NWK Bears ~ Sixty Games Down; Forty To Go

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City's Ace Starter; Mike Ness.


Sixty games are in the books.  Forty remain.  The Bears are currently playing a series against the circuit leading Quebec Capitales, in which they have dropped the first two games so far by a combined 26-8 score.  Two weekend games remain for the Bears to try and gain a split in the series.


The Bears and Worcester Tornadoes have been taking turns holding up the pack, as both have fallen on very rough times this season.  The Bears are currently taking their turn in last place with a 17-43 record.  The former cellar dwelling Worcester club is a fraction better with a 17-42 record.  Both teams are losers of their last eight games, and nine of their last ten.


On a better note, Bears' starter Mike Ness, is coming off being named Pitcher of the Week ending July 15th.  The soon to be twenty-five year old became the second Bears' pitcher to be recognized as such.  Earlier in the season, closer Jorge Vasquez was awarded the distinction.


Mike Ness is indeed enjoying a good campaign.  In twelve starts this season he has logged eighty-two innings, for a 6.2 innings per game average.  He has forty-nine strikeouts, while walking twenty-one.  His 3.73 ERA goes along with a 6-2 record.  His six wins are just three off the league leader pitching for Quebec.  Mike has earned four wins in his last six starts.


But on July 11th in a Wednesday matinee game, he no doubt pitched the game of his career.  In front of a robust home crowd at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, that exceeded four figure attendance, Mike Ness faced thirty-one Quebec Capitales.  In pitching nine full innings against the first place team from Canada, he allowed no runs, walked one batter, struck out eight, and most significantly,  surrendered no hits; not one.  Mike Ness did indeed pitch a nine inning no-hit victory over Quebec.  While he did allow one walk, six Newark errors in the field would ensure this would not be a perfect game.  He threw 123 pitches; 85 for strikes.  Eric McGee hit his fifth home run of the season to support the effort.


In his next and latest start against Rockland on July 17th, he earned a no-decision after tossing another seven innings of shut-out ball.  In that game, he limited the Boulders to three scattered hits.  So in his last sixteen innings pitched, he has allowed a stingy three hits and no runs.



Mike.BTB

NWK Bears ~ First Fifty Games Were Rough on Bears

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Reaches the Mid-Point of the Season After a First Half of Struggles.


Sunday's game against the New Jersey Jackals was number fifty of the Newark Bears' season.  There are now fifty games left.  And it saddens me to say, the outlook for the second half of the season isn't looking very promising.  The Bears are currently in last place with a 16-34 record, eighteen games out of first place, and twelve games out of second.  But don't get too lost in that, as only two teams, the Quebec Capitales and the New Jersey Jackals, have records above the .500 mark.


Monday was an off day for the Bears who are in the middle of a three game series against the Jackals.  So far they have split the first two games against second place New Jersey, with the rubber game scheduled for Tuesday.


After fifty games, my vote goes to Daryle Ward as the Bears' first half MVP.  In forty-seven games, he has 179 at-bats and is batting .291, with nine home runs, and thirty-six RBI.  For reference, the league leader in home runs has seventeen.  The league's RBI leader has forty-seven.


On the mound, Mike Ness has been the Bears' best starting pitcher.  In ten starts, he has a 5-2 record, with a 4.64 ERA.  In 66.0 innings pitched, he's surrendered seventy-six hits, issued eighteen walks, and struck out thirty-eight batters.  The league leader has seven wins.


My runner-up for team MVP is the Bears' closer, Jorge Vasquez.  He's made nineteen appearances, pitching in 22.1 innings, allowing only eight hits, and one earned run so far, which translates into a minuscule 0.40 ERA.  Vasquez has walked seven and struck out thirty-three batters en route to ten saves, one win, and one loss this season.


Off the field and in the seats, as has been the case for several years now, attendance is at critical levels.  I do not have facts to substantiate the teams' financial health, other than deducing an opionion based on the league's attendance figures, in addition to what I see with my own eyes whenever I attend a game.  But neither paint a pretty portrait.


Sporting the lowest attendance figures in the circuit over twenty-three dates, the Bears have averaged 750+/- fans per game.  Their grand total for the season stands at 17,000 fans.  The next lowest attendance figure is owned by the Worcester Tornadoes, who double Newark's head-count with 34,500 fans this season; good for an average of 1,700 fans per game.  These numbers are rounded off, but I think you get the point.


Last season's CanAm expansion club, the Rockland Boulders, have led the league in attendance since they joined the circuit, unseating perennial attendance champs, New Jersey, and Quebec.  The Boulders are averaging 3,100 fans per game this season, for a total of 76,000 over twenty-four dates.  That's four and a half times more than Newark.


And the bears in Yellowstone thought they had it rough.


To Ownership, Tim Raines, and the Newark Bears team - Here's to a better second half.


Let's Go Bears.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ New Jersey Jackals Put a Lickin' on Bears

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:   New Jersey Jackals' Push For First Place Coming at Bears' Expense.


When it rains, it pours.  The Bears dropped their second straight to the Jackals, and have now lost ten of their last twelve games, as well as their last five in a row.

Jorge Vasquez pitched a dandy ninth inning for the Bears.  But the same can't be said for the five Newark pitchers which preceded him in Tuesday's Game Two versus the New Jersey Jackals.  Because by that time, New Jersey was leading 16-4, and fresh off scoring seven runs in the eighth inning.

Starting pitcher, Pedro Rivera, by far suffered his worst outing of the season.  He only lasted 2.2 innings, walking one, surrendering seven hits, and allowing six runs; five coming in the third.  In the eighth inning, Anthony Pluta got roughed up pretty badly as well.  He failed to record an out, and allowed six runs on just one hit, and four walks.  An E-4 by Juan Martinez opened the door for four unearned runs to score.

Daryle Ward, Eric McGee, Bryce Lane, and Juan Martinez each drove in a run for Newark.

In the second inning, New Jersey's 3B-Nick Giarraputo, was hit by a pitch and left the game.  At the moment, he is the CanAm League's offensive Triple Crown Leader.  He leads the circuit in batting average with a .406 mark.  He is number one in home runs with eleven.  And tops the circuit in RBI with thirty-three.

New Jersey's starting pitcher, Steve Fox, leads in two of three pitching categories.  He leads the CanAm League in wins with five, and in ERA with a 1.91 mark.  He was recently named CanAm Pitcher of the Week.

Wednesday is matinee day.  The Bears and Jackals will go at it again in Game Three, then conclude this four game series Thursday.

The Jackals gained a game on Quebec, who lost to the Worcester Tornadoes Tuesday.  New Jersey now sits just a half game out of first place.  After tonight's loss, Newark owns last place to themselves, with Worcester only one game better.


Transactions:
INF-Courtney Billingslea was released.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Defeat Kansas City T-Bones in Matinee

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Outlast Kansas City Pitching for Tenth Inning Win in Series Finale.  Next Stop on the American Association Tour; the Grand Prairie Air Dogs.


Bears Drop Opening Game to Kansas City T-Bones


Wednesday Final:  10 innings
Newark   2
Kansas City  1


The Brick City Grizzlies salvaged the final game of a three game series in Kansas City with an extra inning effort in Wednesday's matinee game against the T-Bones.

Kansas City's Josh Rainwater pitched nine superb full innings.  He allowed eight hits, and one earned run.  He walked none and struck out eight.  Newark scored first in the opening inning.  Alex Bardeguez led off the game with a triple and scored the Bears first run when Juan Martinez bounced into a 4-3 put-out.  Rainwater then kept the Bears quiet over his next eight innings of work.  The T-Bones got Rainwater off the losing side of the ledger when they scored in the sixth inning to tie the game at one each.

Mike Ness made the start for Newark, and pitched six full innings.  Ness was on the winning side of this game until he surrendered a lead-off home run to Trevor Coleman in the sixth.  Mike Ness walked two and struck out five before giving way to Matt Lyons and the bullpen.

Both starters wound up pitching no-decisions.

Matt Lyons and Anthony Pluta turned in two innings of scoreless relief.  While Jorge Vasquez kept the T-Bones off the board in the ninth.  Then into the tenth inning they went.

Kansas City turned the ball over to the bullpen, calling upon Jacob Wiley.  An E-6 allowed Billy Alvino to reach safely.  Three batters later, Juan Martinez drove him in with a go-ahead single.  In the bottom of the ninth, Jorge Vasquez retired the T-Bones in order, striking out the last two batters swinging to earn the win.



Tuesday Final:
Kansas City  8
Newark         1


In the middle game of the series against Kansas City, the T-Bones' Shaun Garceau held Newark scoreless over six innings, while allowing three scattered hits.  The bullpen covered the rest and allowed the Bears their only run in the ninth inning.

Offensively, the T-Bones tenderized Newark's pitching with eleven hits, and eight runs.  In his fifth start, the Bears' Pedro Rivera pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs en route to suffering his third loss of the season.  Most of Kansas City's damage however, came against reliever Luis Garcia.  In only one inning pitched, he allowed five earned runs on three hits and two walks.


The Bears will continue their American Association tour against the 2011 American Association defending champions; the Grand Prairie Air Dogs; starting with a double-header on Thursday.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Pick Up First Win on American Association Grounds

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Wins First Game Against Gary SouthShore RailCats.  Play For a Split in Series Sunday.

Game One; The Bears Great Western Migration


FRIDAY'S FINAL ~ GAME TWO
Railcats   20
Bears       11

Let's just say Friday night's game got out of hand.  Because Pedro Rivera only lasted an inning in Thursday's game, and the bullpen had to pick up the next eight, Coach Oberkfell was forced into some sacrificial managing with regards to Friday's game two starting pitcher, Mike Ness.

Mike Ness was making his fifth start of the season.  He never had good stuff, and never was going to get some.  Not this game.  But with a taxed bullpen, Ken Oberkfell left his starter on the mound through five innings, despite surrendering thirteen hits, and twelve earned runs.  Ken Oberfell then relied on just one pitcher out of the bullpen to pitch the final three innings.  Luis Garcia gave up six hits and allowed another seven runs.

The game ended in a 20-11 final.  Offensively for the RailCats Adam Klein, Mike Massaro, and Rico Washington combine to bat 10 for 13, with nine runs scored, and eleven RBI.

For Newark, Alex Bardeguez scored four runs from the lead-off spot.  He went 4 for 6 with an RBI.  Daryle Ward hit his fifth home run.  He batted 3 for 6, with three RBI.  Eric McGee hit his third home run.  He went 3 for 5 with three runs scored, and two RBI.  And Billy Alvino was 4 for 5, with two RBI.




SATURDAY FINAL ~ GAME THREE
Bears        6
RailCats   4

This pitching match-up featured Newark's usual reliever, Matt Fitton, making his first start of the season after seven relief appearances.  And on the hill for the RailCats, was Stephen Hiscock.

The two teams exchanged a run in the first inning.  Newark's sizzling hot Juan Martinez homered for the fourth time this season.  And for Gary SouthShore, Mike Coles reciprocated with his own solo home run for the tie.

In the second, the RailCats busted Matt Fitton for three more runs.  Adam Klein had an RBI single. Mike Massaro tripled home another run.  And David Cooper singled home Massaro with Gary's fourth run of the game.

Stephen Hiscock cruised through the first five innings.  In the sixth inning he ran into a little trouble.  After securing the first two outs, he allowed a single to Juan Martinez, a single to Daryle Ward, and walked Eric McGee to load the bases.  Hiscock then walked the next batter, Bryce Lane, to force in the Bears' second run of the game.  That ended a good night of pitching for the RailCats' starter.  In 5.2 innings, he only allowed four hits, two earned runs, walked two, and struck out eight Bears.  T.J. Wohlever took over for Hiscock and struck out the next batter to end Newark's threat, and keep it a 4-2 game.

After a rough start over the first two innings, Matt Fitton settled down over the next four and left the game after six innings of work.  He finished allowing six hits and four earned runs.  He struggled with four walks, and struck out three.  Coach Ken Oberkfell summoned Kyle Morrison to pitch the seventh.  He picked up the first two outs, the second with a strikeout.  Coach Oberkfell then called upon Matt Lyons, who secured the third out of the Railcats' home seventh.

In the eighth inning, the Bears finally clawed-up Gary's bullpen for four runs.  Nick Santomauro singled home Daryle Ward.  Courtney Billingslea then singled home two more runs.  Matt Tomczyk's RBI single topped off the eighth, and gave the Bears a 6-4 lead.

Matt Lyons returned to the hill for the bottom of the eighth and combined with Jorge Vasquez to keep Gary SouthShore quiet for another inning.  And into the ninth they went.  Juan Martinez' lead off single was wiped out when Daryle Ward grounded into a double play.  Eric McGee then grounded out to short to set up a save situation for the Bear's bullpen.

Jorge Vasquez came back out in the ninth to face the top of the line-up.  Vasquez struck out his first batter swinging.  The second batter he faced popped to right.  Mike Coles, who has been giving Bears' pitching fits, extended the game with a double.  Jorge Vasquez then walked David Cooper to put the tying run on base, and bring the winning run to the plate.  But the Bears' closer composed himself, and struck out the number five hitter, Mike Rohde, swinging for the final out of the game.

That was Jorge Vasquez' seventh save of the season.  Matt Lyons gets credit for the win.  In a spot start, Matt Fitton pitched rather efficiently.  The Railcats' Chris Allen was tagged with the loss in relief.

In their third try, the Newark Bears finally have their first victory on this road trip through American Association territory.  Brick City will try and earn a series split against the Gary SouthShore RailCats tomorrow, Sunday, before moving on to Kansas City and taking on the T-Bones baseball club.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Salvage Game Three Versus St. Paul Saints

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

* Monday's Home Game Versus the Rockland Boulders Was Rained-Out.

St.Paul Saints vs. Newark Bears

Saints Win Series 2-1

I  -  St.P 6; NWK 3

II  -  St.P 7; NWK 2

III  -  NWK 7; St.P 1

 

NEWARK BEARS:  St. Paul Saints Bid Broad Street Adieu After Taking Inter-League Series Two Games to One.

Series Preview, and Recaps from Games One and Two:

St. Paul Saints Come Marching In

The Bears dropped two of three games in their first Inter-League meeting against the famed St. Paul Saints Baseball Club of the American Association.  Newark finally gained a win Sunday, in Game Three.

First Pitch

With rain threatening, the Bears protected a lead through the top of the fifth inning to at least make the game official.  In the home second inning, Burt Reynolds and Eric McGee led off with back-to-back solo home runs, staking Newark starting pitcher, Mike Ness, to a two run lead.

Burt Reynolds rounds second, then touches home after second inning blast.

Eric McGee touches home after completing back-to-back home runs.

However, the game played on.  In the fifth inning, Newark struck for four more runs off Saints' starter, Alberto Rolon.  Juan Martinez had an RBI single.  Then Daryle Ward (right) unloaded with a three run home run, his third of the season, to give Newark a 6-0 lead.  In the sixth inning, the Bears made it a seven run lead when Matt Tomczyk singled home Courtney Billingslea.  All seven Newark runs were earned and came off St. Paul's Alberto Rolon.

In the lead-off spot, Alex Bareguez was 3 for 4, with a run scored.

In his fourth start this season, the Bears' Mike Ness (left) pitched seven full innings to gain his second win against no losses.  He kept St. Paul quiet over the first six innings, before the Saints managed to score once in the seventh.  Ness allowed six Saints' hits.  He walked two, and struck out four.

Anthony Pluta pitched the eighth inning and surrendered two hits.  Jorge Vasquez came in for the ninth, faced four batters, surrendered a hit, and struck out one.

The Bears and Rockland Boulders will try and get their series started, most likely with a double-header on Tuesday.  Wednesday will be get-away day for the Bears, as they travel to Grand Rapids.





Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Take Matinee Game Over Tornadoes

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Yesterday's Pitching Duel Turned Into This Morning's Loss.  Brick City Drops Rain Suspended Game.

Bears Strike Back in Today's Matinee Game for 7-4 Win Over Worcester.

Tuesday - RAIN HALTS PITCHER'S DUEL in WORCESTER



The Bears and Tornadoes were tied after six innings in Wednesday's matinee game.  Newark jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after two.  Daryle Ward doubled home Alex Bardeguez in the first inning.  In the second, Bryce Lane led off the inning with a walk.  A two out double by Dan Coury scored Lane.  And yet another two out double by Quentin Davis drove in Dan Coury.


Worcester picked up two runs in the third.  The Bears then scored their fourth run in the fourth, to take a 4-2 lead on Dan Coury's home run.  In the bottom half of the fourth, Worcester rallied against Newark's starting pitcher, Brian Parker, again for another run, making it a 4-3 game.  With one out, Coach Oberkfell then made his move to the bullpen, and brought in Damian Sequen.


Brian Parker pitched 5.1 innings and got peppered for eleven hits.  He allowed four earned runs, no walks, and struck out five before being relieved.


Damian Sequen held Worcester in the sixth.  Three Bears' relievers combined on 3.2 innings to keep Worcester at four runs.  Anthony Pluta pitched 1.1 innings, with two strikeouts.  Jorge Vasquez took care of the ninth by striking out the side.  Damian Sequen was credited with the win, and Vasquez the save.


In the seventh inning, Alex Bardeguez scored an insurance run on a passed ball.  Newark scored a second time when Daryle Ward scored on a wild pitch.  Then in the ninth inning, they tacked on one more run for good measure.  Juan Martinez doubled home Eric McGee with the Bears' seventh, and final run.



Tuesday's Game Continuation:
The two teams concluded Tuesday night's rain suspended game this morning.  Click link above for game details of a fine pitcher's duel.  Today, Worcester's catcher, Chris Torres launched the game winning home run in the home ninth, giving the Tornadoes a 2-1 victory.  And of course, the Bears earned a split of the series in today's matinee.  They will play the rubber game of this series on Thursday.





Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Ninth Inning Rally Equals Win Number Four

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Busts Some Rocks for Ninth Inning Win.

Series Tied 1-1

I - Boulders 8; Bears 4

II - Bears 6; Boulders 4

Game Three ~ Thursday

The Bears took their first ride up to Rockland Tuesday night where they dropped the first game of their series against the Boulders by an 8-4 final.  Pedro Rivera was making his first start for Newark, and quite frankly, could have used a little more help.  Two errors in the second inning led to Rockland's first two unearned runs.  Another error led to Ryan Mollica's three run home run off Rivera in the third inning, bringing the number of unearned Boulder runs to five.  Then in the sixth, Ryan Mollica sent Pedro Rivera off to the showers with his second home run of the game.


In the seventh inning, Newark committed yet another error; their fourth of the game; which opened the door for Rockland second baseman, Cole Kraft's 2-run home run off Damian Sequen, who pitched the seventh and eighth innings for Newark.


Newark's scoring came in the top of the second inning, and in the seventh.  Eric McGee doubled home Burt Reynolds, and scored when Billy Alvino grounded into a double play.  And in the seventh, Bryce Lane hit a solo run home run; his second.


Wednesday games mean morning games.  And so the teams convened in Rockland at 10:30am for Game Two of this three game set.  Making his second start, Mike Ness, pitched six full innings and left on the winning side of a 4-3 game.  He gave up three earned runs on seven hits, and two walks.  He struck out two.


Quentin Davis doubled and scored in the first inning.  Courtney Billingslea hit a solo home run in the second.  And after singling in the third, Quentin Davis scored again to give the Bears a 3-0 lead after two and a half innings of play.


Rockland got a run back in the bottom of the third.  And picked up two more runs against Mike Ness in the fourth to tie the game.  But the Bears picked up their pitcher with a go ahead run in the sixth.  Once again, Quentin Davis factored in the scoring when he singled home Bryce Lane.


The Boulders remained stout and scored against Matt Fitton in the home seventh to tie the game at four.  But then came back the Bears in the top of the ninth.  Bryce Lane drew a bases loaded walk for the go ahead run.  And for insurance, Daryle Ward scored on Courtney Billingslea's sac-fly.


Anthony Pluta was the beneficiary of those two runs and earned the win.  Jorge Vasquez pitched the bottom of the ninth to close out the Bears' fourth win of the season.


Final Score - Bears 6; Rockland 4


Newark and Rockland will play the rubber game of this series Thursday evening.


So far this season, the Newark Bears, and last season's three-peat CanAm Champs, the Quebec Capitales, are first to four wins, and sit atop the five team circuit.  Remember, there is no split season this year.  The top two teams in the division after 100 games played will make the playoffs.  So that's six down and ninety four to go.  After the Bears wrap up this series with Rockland, they will host the defending champions for three games.


Go Bears.





Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ Worcester Bullpen Gets Clawed in Eighth

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

Brick City Roars in Season Opener

Newark Bears; CanAm League Opening Day

NEWARK BEARS:  The Urban Grizzlies Ride Strong Pitching and Timely Hitting to Second Straight Victory Over Worcester.

Newark's starting pitcher, Brian Parker, gave the Bears a second consecutive strong effort Friday to get this young season started on a most positive note.  In 6.2 innings pitched, he allowed Worcester two scattered runs and three hits in total.  He walked no batters and struck out seven. Brian exited the game in the seventh inning on the winning side of a 3-2 game.  But when the Tornadoes tied the game at three in the top of the eighth inning against Damian Sequen and Matt Fitton, Brian Parker's effort was regulated to no-decision status.

In the top of the eighth, Damian Sequen walked the lead-off batter, then welted the next hitter with a pitch.  A sac-fly put the tying run on third, which prompted Coach Oberkfell to make a change.  In came Matt Fitton.  Another sac-fly promptly scored the runner from third.  Jose Canseco then popped out to end Worcester's at-bat.


In the home eighth, the Bears growled back with three runs.  With one out, Quentin Davis singled and stole second.  Alex Bardeguez singled him home for the go ahead run.  Daryle Ward then bopped a two run home run to give Newark a 6-3 lead.


Jorge Vasquez was summoned to pitch the ninth for Newark.  He surrendered a solo home run to Tornadoes' third baseman, Johnny Welch, but finally closed out Newark's second victory in as many games.  Matt Fitton was credited with the win, and Vasquez the Save.


For Daryle Ward, this was his first home run of the season.  Burt Reynolds was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.  Only second baseman, Juan Martinez failed to get a hit off Worcester pitching.  Tornadoes' Jose Canseco was 0 for 4 at the plate as the DH and clean-up hitter.


The 6-4 final score of this game is somewhat misleading.  This was actually a well pitched contest by both teams.  Combined, both staffs only walked one batter, and combined for sixteen strikeouts.  In seventeen combined innings, all pitchers limited the respective line-ups to fourteen hits.


Both teams will do it again in Game Three of this Opening Day four game series tonight.

OPENING DAY SERIES

Bears Lead 2-0

I  -  NWK 9; WOR 2

II  -  NWK 6; WOR 4

GAME THREE

Worcester Tornadoes

vs.

NEWARK BEARS

From

THE DEN

Broad Street, Newark

Mike.BTB