NEWARK, NJ – August 2, 2007 – Right-handed starter Delvis Pacheco (4-1) allowed three runs on ten hits and one walk, striking out five in seven innings of work as the Newark Bears defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 7-3 at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Thursday night.

After Lancaster took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Bears scored four runs in the top of the third to take the lead.  With one out, left-fielder Marcus Nettles walked and stole second, shortstop Ramon Castro walked, and centerfielder Keith Reed reached on an infield single to load the bases.  Second baseman Javier Colina brought home a run with an RBI groundout before first baseman Victor Rodriguez lined a two-run double to left field.  Right-fielder Jose Herrera capped the scoring with an RBI single. 

The Barnstormers answered with two runs in the bottom half of the third to close the gap to one.  Shortstop Danny Gonzalez hit an RBI single that scored second baseman Travis Hake and then scored on a wild pitch.  Gonzalez and Hake both finished the night 3-for-5.

The Bears scored in the fourth inning on a Castro RBI single, Herrera added a run with a  solo home run in the fifth, and Victor Gutierrez closed the scoring, knocking in Rodriguez with a single.  Herrera went 3-for-4 with the home run and two RBI.  Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Lancaster right-handed starter Brett Evert suffered the loss.  In five innings, he surrendered six runs, all earned, on nine hits and three walks.

The Bears head home for a three game series this weekend against the Somerset Patriots.  On Friday night, the first 2,000 fans (18 and over) will receive a FREE scratch-off card presented by NJ Lottery.  A post-game fireworks spectacular presented by Garden State Fireworks will follow the game. 

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