Deliverance Time Once Again For Newark's Own Reynolds

June 23, 2011 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Newark Bears News Release


NEWARK, N.J. (June 23, 2011) - Newark native Burt Reynolds belted a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing the Newark Bears to an 8-7 victory over the Worcester Tornadoes Thursday night at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Bears (16-11), while the Tornadoes fell to 10-16 overall.

Reynolds' homer, his second of the season, stood up as the game-winning runs as three Bears relievers held the Tornadoes scoreless over the final four innings, enabling Casey Gaynor (1-0) to earn the win in his Bears' debut. Matt Fitton pitched two scoreless frames, Chris Rollins added one scoreless inning and Mikey Mehlich recorded his fifth save with a scoreless ninth.

Nick Serino (0-4) served up Reynolds' homer and suffered the loss for the Tornadoes.

Brandon Watson went 5-for-5 to key the Bears' 12-hit attack. Juan Martinez had two hits for the winners. Abraham Nunez had three hits to lead Worcester.

The first inning was a wild one, with both teams scoring four runs each.

Worcester countered first, scoring four runs off Bears starter Gaynor. With one out, Abraham Nunez singled and moved to third on a double by Chris Colabello. After Nick Salotti walked to load the bases, Alex Trezza blasted a grand slam over the wall in left field, giving the Tornadoes a quick 4-0 lead.

But the Bears answered with four runs of their own in the home first against Worcester starter Matt Smith. Watson had the first of his four singles, followed by walks to Juan Martinez and Tim Raines, Jr. Daryle Ward then singled to left, scoring Watson for the first run. Danny Santiesteban drew a bases loaded walk for the second run (the 26th RBI of the season for the Bears right fielder) and Billy Alvino knocked in two with a single, tying the game at 4-4.

The Tornadoes then scored three times in the top of the second inning, taking a 7-4 lead. Abraham Nunez drove in a run with a single, Mark Minicozzi had an RBI double and Salotti drove in the third run on a sacrifice fly.

After that shaky start, Gaynor, the former Toms River Little League All-Star and former Rutgers standout, settled down and pitched three scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen.

The Bears then began to nibble at the Tornadoes' lead. They scored a run in the third on Todd Gossage's solo homer, his second of the season, cutting the Worcester advantage to 7-5.

Newark added another run in the home fourth when Watson singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ward's RBI double, making the score 7-6, setting up Reynolds' heroics.

The Bears head to Quebec for a three-game series over the weekend and return home Tuesday night to begin a three-game series with Pittsfield beginning Tuesday night at 5:35 p.m.



Canadian American League Stories from June 23, 2011


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