Newark Bears Claw Back For Series Split Versus Trois-Riviere Aigles

From the desk of:   THE BROAD STREET NINE

 

CanAm League

NEWARK BEARS

TROISE-RIVIERE AIGLES

The Newark Nine Gain A Four Game Split In Their First Ever Series Against The Trois-Riviere Aigles.


Late this morning through early afternoon, the Newark Bears completed their first ever series against the CanAm expansion Trois-Rivieres Aigles.  Their initial series scheduled in May was wiped out due to inclement weather.


On Monday, Jim Schult started the first ever contest between these teams, and was also making his first start for the Bears since coming over from Rockland.  He pitched five innings, allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked two and struck out five before departing the game with the score tied at two.  Ryan Carr entered the game in the sixth, but two Newark errors opened the door for five unearned runs, as Carr invariably suffered the loss.  At the plate, Bridger Hunt and Carlos Guzman combined on 4 for 8, with an RBI each.


Tuesday in game two, the Bears exploded for sixteen runs to knot the series at a game apiece. DAngelo Jimenez was big man on campus with a 3 for 5 game, a grand slam, and five total RBI. Jamar Walton was also 3 for 5, with a home run and four RBI.  Kyle Lafrenz was additionally 3 for 4, with Newark's third home run of the game.  And Bridger Hunt was 4 for 5 at the plate, with a pair of runs batted in.  Leondy Perez made the start for Newark, and pitched seven innings for his second win of the season.  Following a similar scenario as game one, Leondy was charged with four unearned runs.  Otherwise, he allowed five hits, walked two, and struck out eight batters.  His ERA is now 4.77 after three appearances.


The Aigles white washed the Bears in game three Wednesday by a 5-0 score.  Bryan Banes suffered his second loss of the season.  In six innings, he allowed three earned runs on five hits.  He walked three and struck out six before being relieved.  The Bears only mustered five hits all game.


With a 9-1 win today, the Bears gained a 2-2 split of their four game series.  Brian Parker took the mound and earned his first victory of the season.  He pitched 6.2 innings, allowed just one earned run on four hits, walked two batters and struck out four.  Carlos Guzman and Jamar Walton led the offensive charge with three RBI each.  First baseman Ernie Banks Jr. returned to the line-up and added a pair or runs batted in.


Coach Garry Templeton's Bears are still representing themselves with a 7-9 record.  They trail the first place Rockland Boulders by five games.  Bridger Hunt is leading the CanAm League with a .492 batting average.  Carlos Guzman ranks fifth with a .359 average.  On the mound, Brian Banes is fifth in league ERA with a 3.38 mark.


The Bears and Rockland Boulders will rejoin their rivalry with a three game weekend series at the Broad Street Den commencing Friday evening.  The Boulders' Chris Edmondson ranks second in the league with six home runs, while leading the circuit with twenty-three runs batted in.  On the hill, starters Bobby Blevins and Nick Serino are tied for the league lead in wins with three, while Pat Moran leads the circuit in strikeouts with twenty-one.  Rockland leads the CanAm League with a 13-5 record.  The defending champions, Quebec Capitales are just a game back in second place.




Mike.BTB

Newark Bears Rally Comes Up Short In Rockland; Drop CanAm Season Opener To Boulders 6-4

From the desk of:   THE BROAD STREET NINE

NEWARK BEARS - The Resilient Urban Species Begins Another Season In A Wild Yet Dwindling Environment.

Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball

The 2013 Canadian-American League regular season is open for business.  Welcome to year nine for the old circuit, reorganized in 2005.  Many teams have come in and out of the league, and this year is no different.  The Can-Am League will try to make a full season of it with five teams.  Returning from last season are the Rockland Boulders, New Jersey Jackals, Quebec Capitales, and the Newark Bears.  The league welcomed a new expansion team this season - the Trois Rivieres Aigles, which gives the Quebec Capitales a local Canadian rival.  Missing from last year's group are the Worcester Tornadoes.  They similarly went the way of the Pittsfield Colonials and the Brockton Rox  respectively, after the 2011 season.  The Can-Am League will once again play inter-league games against the independent American Association to facilitate a one-hundred game schedule.

The Quebec Capitales have won the last four CanAm championships consecutively.

 

2013 NEWARK BEARS ROSTER


Garry Templeton - a veteran of sixteen Major League seasons, is famously known as the shortstop traded from St. Louis to the San Diego Padres for Ozzie Smith.  He was the first switch hitter to achieve one hundred hits from each side of the plate in the same season.  He led the National League in triples for three consecutive seasons, and led the circuit in hits once.  This season, Gary Templeton is the new manager of the 2013 Newark Bears.
 

The Newark Bears opened their season this evening at Provident Bank Park against the Rockland Boulders.  Returning for another season to bolster the Bears rotation, Mike Ness took the mound opposed by Rockland's own veteran hurler, Bobby Blevins.  The visitors gave Mike Ness an early 1-0 lead in the first, when Bears right fielder Carlos Guzman doubled off Blevins, to deliver DAngelo Jimenz with the game's first run.  In the bottom of the frame however, Rockland struck back for a pair.  With two outs, Jerod Edmondson drew a four pitch walk.  The following batter, Chris Edmondson then connected off Ness for a two run home run.


Rockland center fielder Donnie Webb led off the bottom of the third inning with the Boulder's second home run off Ness.  In the fourth, Boulder's DH Johnny Welch led off with yet another home run off Mike Ness, giving Rockland a 4-1 lead.  The Boulders continued with another run in the fifth, on Jerod Edmondson's sac-fly, giving the Boulders a 5-1 lead through five complete.


After allowing Newark's first inning run, Bobby Blevins tamed the Bears over the next four.  Through five innings, he allowed Newark six hits, walked none, and struck out five.  His counter-part, Ness allowed five earned runs on six hits, walked one and struck out four.  Both pitchers continued through the sixth.  The Bears finally mustered another run off Blevins in the top of the seventh.  Designated hitter Brandon Mims and second baseman Brandon Newton struck consecutive one out singles.  Third baseman  DAngelo Jimenez then doubled to deliver Mims from second, to make it a 5-3 game.  In relief of Mike Ness, Coach Templeton tasked Ryan Carr with pitching the bottom of the seventh.


With one out, the Bears put a runner in scoring position in the eighth.  Jamar Walton drew a walk off Rockland reliever Nick Serino, then promptly stole second.  Kyle Lafrenz came through with a clutch base hit to score Walton, making it a 5-4 game.  In the bottom of the frame however, Rockland picked up an unearned run off Newark's veteran pitcher Kyle Morrison.


Newark put the tying runs in scoring position in the top of the ninth after Brandon Mims drew a walk and Brandon Newton doubled.  But that's where they stayed, stranded.  Reliever Kevin Fuqua recovered to retire the next three in order, picking up his first save of the regular season.


Bobby Blevins picked up his first victory.  He pitched 6.2 innings, allowed three earned runs, nine hits, and struck out five Bears batters before exiting.  Mike Ness suffered his first loss.  In six innings of work, he surrendered five runs on six hits, three of which were home runs.  He walked one and fanned five.


Newark's Opening Day is tomorrow, Friday, at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, where the Rockland Boulders will visit for the next three games of the series.





Mike.BTB