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

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 ~ The Great Western Migration

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE  ~  AMERICAN ASSOCIATION

INTER-LEAGUE SERIES

NEWARK BEARS

vs.

Gary SouthShore RailCats

From

U.S. STEEL YARD

Gary, Indiana

RailCats Lead Series 1-0

I - GS 7; NWK 4

II - Friday Night

NEWARK BEARS: Go West Young Cub!

The Bears made their first migration into American Association territory, where they were met rather unkindly by a Gary SouthShore RailCats' line-up that knocked Newark's starting pitcher out of the box after just one inning, and chipped away at Brick City's bullpen the rest of the game.

Bear's starter Pedro Rivera's last act in Thursday's opening game came when he took a come-backer off the bat of Mike Coles, starting a 1-4-3 play to end the bottom of the RailCats' home half of the first inning.  Rivera did not return to the mound for the second.

Making his first appearance for Newark, first out of the Bears' pen was Rob Swift.  In two innings of work, three walks and three hits resulted in two earned runs.  He struck out two.  Brian Parker was next out of the pen, and pitched well over two innings.  But his line was marred by errors which led to an unearned run in the fourth inning.  The second Bears' error of the fourth inning, was Parker's own.

Matt Lyons took his turn against Gary SouthShore in the sixth inning.  The RailCats worked him for a walk, a stolen base, a single, and a double for two more runs.  Exit Matt Lyons; hello Anthony Pluta for the eighth and ninth innings.  The RailCats drew four walks against Pluta, along with two hits.  Before they were through, two more runs had come across the plate for what was ultimately a 7-4 Railcat victory.  Newark's Rob Swift was tagged with the loss.

Newark actually scored first in this game.  Juan Martinez scored on a wild pitch by Gary's starter, Derek Drage.  Juan Martinez scored a second time in the fifth inning upon hitting his third home run of the season.  In the seventh inning, once again it was Juan Martinez generating Newark's only offense of the evening.  A two RBI double upped his game RBI total to three.  Juan finished the game hitting 4 for 5, with 2 runs scored.  After Martinez,  all Newark could manage were four scattered singles against four RailCat pitchers.

The home team managed eight hits against Bears' pitching.  The RailCats' Mike Coles and Mike Rohde combined on six of them.  Together they hit safely in six out of ten at-bats, and combined to drive in four runs.

Game Two from U.S. Steel Yard is Friday night.   And that's alright by me.

Let's Go Bears!  And belated hello to Gary SouthShore!

Canadian American Association of Baseball

NEWARK BEARS

American Association of Professional Baseball

GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS

Mike.BTB

Newark Bears ~ St. Paul Saints Come Marching In

From the desk of:   THE BRICK CITY NINE

NEWARK BEARS:  The Modern St. Paul Saints Enjoying Their First Ever Visit to Broad Street.  Take First Two Games Over Bears.  Game Three Sunday Afternoon.



Professional baseball in St. Paul, Minnesota, dates back to 1884, when a third league, the Union Association, formed to compete against the established National League, and their rivals, the  American Association of Baseball.  St. Paul later played in the Western League during the 1890's, which was the precursor to the American League we know today.

From 1902 through 1960, St. Paul existed as a (AAA) minor league team in the 20th century version of the American Association, until the league ultimately folded, and it's teams were dispersed to the Pacific Coast League, and the International League.

The modern day St. Paul Saints come to us through the former Northern League of Independent Baseball, which formed in 1993 and ceased after the 2005 season.  The present American Association of Independent Baseball formed in 2006, and the St. Paul Saints have been members since.

For us tri-state area baseball fans, Darryl Strawberry once, and maybe infamously, played for the Saints in a comeback bid to play Major League Baseball again following his suspension from the game.


The St. Paul Saints are in town visiting the Newark Bears for a weekend series, of which, the Saints have already taken the first two games of three.  Call me silly for waxing nostalgic, but the ring of saying - St. Paul Saints versus Newark Bears just sounds classic, and out of another era.  There is indeed a historic connotation, and even significance, to this match-up.  But one that will go unspoken about in the grand scheme of things.


I for one however, am excited the Saints are in town for some Canadian/American - American Association Inter-League play.  That said, I will be at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium today, Sunday, to enjoy the game, and take in what I think is a rather unique match-up of applied team histories.


In Friday's series opener, the Bears dropped this first modern day encounter by a 6-3 final score.  Alex Smith made the start for Newark, and suffered his third defeat of the season.  He pitched six full, allowing six runs, although only were three earned, on eight hits.  Alex only walked two, and struck out  six Saints.  An error by Burt Reynolds at third led to Smith's three unearned runs allowed in a four run second inning.


The Bears scored one in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Juan Martinez.  But they gave it back in St. Paul's next at-bat, who then held a 5-1 lead.  In the sixth inning, the Saints tacked on one more insurance run when Benji Johnson led off with a homer off Alex Smith.


Eric McGee hit his first home run of the season; a solo shot for Newark in the seventh.  They would score again on an RBI single by Alex Bardeguez to make it a 6-3 game.  But that's as close as Newark would get.


Caleb Cuevas and Damian Sequen finished up Newark's pitching duties with three scoreless innings in relief.


St. Paul's Wes Roemer pitched 7.2 innings, gave up six hits, and allowed the Bears three runs.  He walked none and struck out seven for the win.  Bret Severtson gained the save.


In Game Two of the series played Saturday, St. Paul jumped on Bears pitching yet again to secure a 7-2 win.  Defense failed the Bears again, as five errors on the day helped the Saints score four unearned runs.


The Bears' Pedro Rivera made his third start, and lasted five innings.  He gave up five hits and allowed two earned runs out of four he surrendered.  Rivera issued four walks and struck out six.  Matt Fitton also suffered from the team's defensive lapses in relief.  In four innings pitched, only one of his three runs allowed were earned.  He struck out five Saints in his four innings.


Newark's lone two runs against St. Paul starter, Danny Guitierrez, came on RBI singles by Juan Martinez, and Burt Reynolds.


Three Saints relievers combined to allow six innings and keep the Bears sedated.  St. Paul's Josh Cephus pitched three innings for the win.


If you're at the game today, Tweet me up.
Credit - St. Paul Saints Scorecard @ SonOfNostalgia.com

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