Bears Sweep Pair From Lancaster, Reach The .500 Mark
May 11, 2008 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Newark Bears News Release
NEWARK, NJ, May 11, 2008-The Newark Bears swept a Mother's Day doubleheader from the Lancaster Barnstormers Sunday afternoon at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, winning the first game 4-3 and the nightcap 10-6. By doing so, the Bears are now back to .500 on the season, with a record of 8-8.
In the opener, Randall Simon drove in the winning run with a walk-off, bases loaded single in the bottom of the 7th inning, scoring Vic Gutierrez from third base. Gutierrez had opened the inning by lining a base hit off of the back of pitcher Ryan Cullen's head. The ball hit Cullen so hard that it caromed all the way to right field on a fly. Cullen left the field under his own power, and the Bears subsequently loaded the bases with one out against reliever Nate Hoelscher before Simon delivered the game-winning hit.
Bobby Hill had two hits for Newark in the opener, and Jose Herrera had a two-run triple in the 4th inning. Lancaster third-baseman Vasili Spanos was 2-3 with a double, his 2nd home run of the season, an RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Lefty Cory Willey (3-0) picked up the win in relief for the Bears in Game One, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless ball. Bears starter Benito Baez received a hard-luck no-decision after leaving with a 3-2 lead in the 6th inning. Baez allowed only 2 runs and 6 hits while striking out 3 batters in 5.1 innings of work. Cullen (2-2) was the hard-luck loser for the Barnstormers.
In the nightcap, Newark scored ten runs on only seven hits due in large part because they received nine walks from Lancaster pitchers. However, the Bears made the most of their hits, receiving a three-run home run from catcher Scott Knazek in the 2nd inning and two-run singles from both Val Majewski and Tim Sweeney in the 3rd inning to grab a 7-5 lead after three.
Majewski finished with 3 RBI in the nightcap, while teammate Keith Reed had two hits and scored two runs.
Bears closer Al Levine entered the game in the top of the 6th inning with the bases loaded, two outs, and the Bears leading 7-6, and induced a fly ball out by Danny Gonzalez to get Newark out of the jam. After the Bears scored three insurance runs, Levine finished off Lancaster in the 7th inning for his 4th save of the season.
Atlantic League Stories from May 11, 2008
- Ducks Win in Extras - Long Island Ducks
- Barnstormers Drop Two In Newark - Lancaster Stormers
- Bears Sweep Pair From Lancaster, Reach The .500 Mark - Newark Bears
- Patriots Give Moms A 6-5 Win On Mother's Day - Somerset Patriots
- Ducks Ink Veteran Nageotte - Long Island Ducks
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