AtL Somerset Patriots

Bears Stun Patriots with Six in the Ninth

Published on August 7, 2010 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Somerset Patriots News Release


Newark, NJ- Daryle Ward's walk-off grand slam capped off a six-run 9 th for the Newark Bears as they shocked the Somerset Patriots in a 10-8 win in the opener of a three-game series at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Friday night.

Ward finished off a 4-4 night with five RBIs on the two-out blast against Jerry Dunn. The Bears trailed 8-4 going into their final at-bat. Jeff Kennard began the inning striking out Carl Everett but then saw Eric Munson jack a solo homer to right field the first run against Kennard since July 17 making it a three-run game. Kennard got the second out, getting Isaiah Kaaihue to ground out and walked Randy Gress. Pablo Ozuna stood in and lined a two-strike pitch to left center field. Wayne Lydon trotted over to make the play and settled but muffed the attempt, dropping the ball, allowing Ozuna to reach and kept the inning alive. Kennard was lifted as Andrew Dobies stepped in to face the left-handed Kennard Jones. The southpaw walked Jones to load the bases and followed with a free pass to Brian Barton, bringing a run home and cutting the lead to two. Dobies (0-1) was removed and Dunn came in, got behind of Ward in the count and delivered a 2-1 pitch that Ward launched into right field for a walk-off grand slam. Five of the six runs in the inning were unearned as the Patriots lost game when leading after eight innings for just the second time this year, both instances coming in the last week.

The Patriots had worked a four-run cushion with a pair of two-tally frames. Josh Pressley drove in his second and third runs of the game in the 7th inning off Newark starter Shane Youman. Pressleys two-out double, which he sent screaming into straightaway center field off the batters eye, brought Lydon and Joe Burke home to give the Patriots a 6-4 lead. Youman exited in line for the loss after 6.2 innings, yielding 11 hits and six runs (five earned) with six strikeouts and a walk. Will Cunnane finished the 7th for Newark but allowed a pair of runs in the 8th on a balk and a Joe Holden base hit, putting the Patriots up 8-4.

Jon Ellis made the start for Somerset and was pushed in line for the win after the 7th-inning RBIs from Pressley. After Newark scored two runs in the 1st on three hits, the 27-year-old came back to retire 14 of the next 16 men he faced. In the meantime, the Patriot offense scored a run in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings against Youman, including a Pressley solo shot to give Somerset a 4-2 lead. In the 6th, Ellis walked Barton and Ward on eight straight pitches and Carl Everett sent a liner to left center, bring both runners home to tie the game. Ellis went 6.0 innings tying his longest career start in 13 tries allowing just five hits, four runs, and three walks, striking out three. Ben Grezlovski pitched 2.0 innings of shutout relief to bridge the game to the 9th where Newark made its comeback. Armando Benitez (1-0) left a runner on base in the 9th for Newark, pitching a scoreless frame to send the Bears to their last at-bat down four runs.

Somerset (11-18, 47-52) and Newark (12-16, 33-65) square off in game two of the series on Saturday night. A pair of lefties will go as Brian Adams (0-1, 2.25) takes the ball for the Patriots again Kelvin Villa (2-5, 7.19). Coverage begins at 7:00 pm on 1450 WCTC-AM and online at www.wctcam.com and www.somersetpatriots.com .

NOTES: The Patriots were 33-1 when leading after eight innings before Fridays loss. Somerset was 32-0 going into last Friday's game against Bridgeport where Dobies, gunning for his first career save, gave up the tying run...Dunn, who had saved 24 saves each of his last two seasons in the Can-Am League, blew his first save in his first opportunity this year...Kennard had not allowed a run in 8.0 innings before Friday...Pressley hit his 15th homer of the season, matching his 2009 total. It was his 73rd career Patriot homer in 402 games. Elliott Ayala made his first start at shortstop since July 10. He notched his first three-hit game of the season, knocking a triple and scoring a run...Holden batted in the leadoff spot while Lydon, the normal leadoff man, batted 2nd. Holden finished with three hits and two RBIsBurke batted 3rd for the first time this year...Matt Hagen, in his third start of the second half, hit his 3rd double in two nights. He was ejected in the 9th inning after arguing an out call on an attempted steal at third base...Ellis made his 13th career start (fourth for Somerset) in 269 professional appearances. His 6.0 innings (which he also tossed in his last start) marked the third time in his career he has pitched that deep. He has not won as a starter since August 3, 2005.

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