Newark Bears ~ Worcester Tornadoes Rip Through The Den

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY NINE

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.

Game Two:  Tuesday Final - Tornadoes 10;  Bears 4

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

Newark Bears ~ Take Rubber Game Against Worcester Tornadoes

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN


NEWARK BEARS:  Leave Worcester With Second Best Record In CanAm League.


FINAL:
BEARS...........6
Tornadoes......1

Newark wins first series between each other two games to one.



The Worcester Tornadoes won their first shut out of the season Tuesday night against these Bears, and they were looking to do it again in the rubber game of this series.   Worcester starter; Nick Serino; and Bears' starter; Alex Smith traded zeroes through the first sixth innings.


The Bears were stymied trying to overcome a one and two run deficit last night and were having trouble again getting on the scoreboard Wednesday.


But with the commencement of the seventh inning, the second game started; i.e. - late innings.  Serino started the seventh but got into quick trouble.  Worcester deferred to their bullpen with Ryan Walfield.  And by the time the seventh inning was over, the Bears were leading 5-0.  The Bears' at-bat was highlighted by an RBI single by Kyle LaMotta; Brandon Watson had an RBI sac fly; Tim Raines Jr.'s two run triple; and a double by Ward scored Raines.


Alex Smith completed the seventh inning for Newark before he too was done for the evening.  He left surrendering only four hits and no runs allowed.  A high, five walks and two strikeouts complete his line.  It was his third win this season.


Chris Rollins would give up a run in one inning of relief and Mikey Mehlich closed out the ninth in a non-save situation.


The win improves the Bears' record to a League second best 13-7, behind Quebec.


After a travel day tomorrow, the Bears start a series against Brockton in Newark.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Win Fifth Straight Versus N.Y. Federals

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

The Trolley Went To Newark For Today's Game.

 

NEWARK BEARS:  Complete Five Game Sweep Over New York Federals In Monday Matinee.

FINAL:

New York Federals....2

Newark Bears.............8

Newark used four pitchers Monday against the New York Federals.  Bears' starter Jesse Estrada allowed the only three hits New York would get all day.


In the top of the third inning, an error by Jeff Toth and a wild pitch by Estrada led to the Feds scoring two unearned runs for an early 2-0 lead.  But that was all they'd get.  The Bears used the long ball and shut down pitching Monday afternoon to complete a five game sweep over the N.Y. Federals.

#51 - Jesse Estrada's Line:

6 ~ innings.
86 pitches; 57 strikes.
3 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs.
0 ~ earned runs.
1 ~ walk.
6 ~ strikeouts.





Kyle Morrison; TJ Hose; and Mikey Mehlich all threw an inning each in relief of Estrada.  They combined to allow no runs; no hits; one walk and two strikeouts.


The Bears decided to address New York's 2-0 lead in the home fifth.  With one out, Paddy Matera reached on an error by the first baseman.  Brandon Watson singled Matera to third base.  Number two batter, Kyle LaMotta singled, scoring Matera and advancing Watson to second.  Tim Raines singled.  Brandon Watson scored when Daryle Ward lofted a sac-fly to left tying the game at two.


After a double steal executed by Kyle LaMotta to third and Raines Jr. following to second base, Danny Santiesteban was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Danny was not at all please with the pitch and expressed his displeasure with the Fed's hurler; even pointing at him at one point.  The situation quickly diffused until the next batter, Jeff Toth, was also plunked with a pitch.  This one however forced in LaMotta from third and gave the Bears a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

#2 - Tim Raines Jr.

Brandon Watson had an RBI in the sixth inning.  But the Bears broke out for another four runs in the eighth frame.  Tim Raines Jr. crushed a three run home run, and two batters later, Danny Santiesteban delivered another four-bagger to give the Bears an 8-2 lead.

#28 - Danny Santiesteban

GALLERY

 

First Pitch; Lead-off batter ~ #1 - Brandon Watson

(Left) #5 - Kyle LaMotta  ~  (Right) #33 - Daryle Ward

#44 - Jeff Toth

3B - Todd Gossage

(Left) #31 - Billy Alvino  ~  (Right) #10 - Paddy Matera

 

Tim Raines Jr. is on deck as Tim Raines Sr. looks on.

Ron Karkovice and Tim Raines.

Victory.

EXTRA INNINGS:

 

Up Next for Newark:

The New Jersey Jackals come to Newark Tuesday as they resume their Essex County Executive Challenge Series.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Monday Morning Baseball. See You There!

From the desk of:  Growlings from Brooklyn



NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Nine Looking To Sweep Five Game Set Today Versus N.Y. Federals.

THE TROLLEY.... IS HEADED TO NEWARK TODAY!!!


Tim Raines Jr. sat out Saturday after getting hit by a pitch in Friday's second game of the series against the N.Y. Federals.  He returned to action to the delight of Newark fans for yesterday's game. 


But with and without Tim, the Newark Bears still went on to win the first four games of this five game set being played in Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.  They'll conclude the series early in this afternoon today with an 11:00am start.


Saturday Final:
N.Y. Federals....2
NWK Bears.......5


Sunday Final:
N.Y. Federals....3
NWK Bears.......5


After this weekend's action, the Bears now find themselves in third place behind second place Quebec, and the League leading Brockton Rox club.  Leading up to this series with the Feds, the Bears found themselves precipitously close to the League's basement where the Feds currently reside.  From a 2-4 record then, they've gotten healthy playing New York and now sport a 6-4 mark and stand a mere two games out of first place.


Sunday, Newark's Kyle LaMotta took his turn at a big day in the lead-off spot for Newark.  He doubled and homered in the course of his 3 for 4 day; with an RBI and three runs scored. 


Tim Raines Jr. quietly returned Sunday with a 1 for 4 day batting in the third spot this time.  He did however pick up his league leading 12th RBI of the season.  Coach Raines has mostly penciled Jr. into the second slot.  But he's tried batting him clean-up and now took a try at batting him third.  Tim Jr. has been most effective out of the two slot.  ...Just some food for thought there.


Bears' starting pitcher Alex Smith kept things nice and easy for himself and the Bears over his seven innings pitched.  He only allowed the Feds three hits, walked two, and had four strikeouts.  He threw 86 pitches with 52 of them going for strikes.  It was Alex's first win of the season in two starts.


One first deserves another.  Victor Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning recording his first save of the season.

Game five of this series starts in about one and a half hours.  I plan on being there today to root for the Bears and take in some sun; rest; and relaxation a on a weekday off day for me.  Maybe I'll see you there.  TWEET me up.






Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Scratch Out Victory In Ninth Inning

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN



LINK:   Newark Bears

NEWARK BEARS:  After Blowout Victory Thursday, Bears Scratch Out Win In Ninth Inning Tonight.

FRIDAY FINAL:
New York Federals....7
Newark Bears.............8

A truly entertaining game in Newark on this late Friday afternoon.


The Bears were cruising again leading 3-0 after three innings played. 

In the second inning, Daryle Ward led off with a triple.  The next batter, Danny Santiesteban, promptly drove him in with a single.  After Santiesteban advanced to second on an error by N.Y. Feds' pitcher Giuseppe Granito, the struggling Todd Gossage made good with an RBI driving in Santiesteban from second with a single for a 2-0 Newark lead.  The Bears tacked on a third run when N.Y.'s Giussepe Granito was charged with his second error of the game which eventually led to an unearned run for Newark in the third inning.

In the top of the fourth frame, the Federals struck back and touched Newark starter Ryan Lobban for three runs off three hits to tie the game at three.

With the preliminaries out of the way, this game really got started with Newark's next at-bat.  In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bears struck for four runs while sending Fed's pitcher Granito to an early shower after pitching 3.1 innings for New York.

With one out, Newark DH Burt Reynolds singled.  Todd Gossage then collected his second hit of the game.  Hot hitting Billy Alvino likewise, promptly singled to drive in Reynolds.  Paddy Matera-(2B) drew a walk to load the bases with Bears.  Then the big blow.  Brandon Watson cleared the bases with a triple putting the Bears up 7-3.

The teams traded zeroes on the scoreboard over the next three innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Feds mounted another comeback.  Three runs scored had the Federals within a one of the Bears.  Newark pitcher Kyle Morrison got touched up for three hits and all three runs.

The top of the ninth could have been viewed as a bad omen.  A wild pitch put a Federal runner in scoring position who was quickly driven in by an Andrew Barbaro single.  And this game was now tied an in threat of slipping away from Newark

But the Bears had last licks and made the most of their chance.  To lead off the home ninth, Tim Raines Jr. was hit by a pitch and taken out of the game.  Kyle LaMotta, pinch running for Raines advanced to second on a 3-1 FC.  Daryle Ward was intentionally walked.  Both runners advance on a Santiesteban sacrifice fly.  Burt Reynolds then singled home Kyle LaMotta from third for the Bears game winning run.

The Newark bullpen wasn't nearly up to the task this afternoon.  Kyle Morrison and Mikey Mehlich combined for three innings; six hits; and four runs allowed (one walk and two strikeouts) to let the New York Federals back into the game.  But because the Bears were able to string together a couple of hits in the ninth and win, these types of implosions often go over-looked and Mikey Mehlich earns a win.


It was good to see Todd Gossage get two RBI and a couple of hits.  He needs the confidence boost right now.

No word yet about Tim Raines Jr. leaving the game.  He was 0 for 3 today with one RBI.


The Newark Bears have now evened their record at 4-4 for the season.  Their .500 winning percentage also leap-frogs them into fourth for the moment; two and a half games back of first.


Bear lead five series vs. Federals two games to none.

Next game:   Saturday, June 4 ~ N.Y. FEDERALS @ NEWARK BEARS



Mike.BTB