BLUEFISH BATS QUIETED BY NEWARK
Bridgeport, CT – August 19th – Two of the most prolific offenses in the Atlantic League found themselves in a low-scoring duel on Tuesday as the Newark Bears defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 4-3. Newark's three-run fourth inning propelled them to victory as their pitchers kept the Bluefish offense at bay. Bridgeport drops back to 17-20 in the second half with the loss.
Bluefish starter Mike Connolly (2-2) looked solid through his seven innings of work outside of a fourth inning in which he lost his command. The southpaw walked three batters in the inning, including Scott Knazek with the bases loaded to push in the go-ahead run. The run-scoring walk and a pair of RBI singles by Manny Mejia and Vic Gutierrez gave Newark a 4-2 edge. Gutierrez also doubled in the ninth inning as he finished three-for-five.
The first three Bridgeport hitters of the game reached safely on two walks and a Jay Caligiuri single. Only one run crossed on a Ryan Bear sacrifice fly as the Bluefish stranded two runners on base. Bridgeport scored their second run in the following inning on a Travis Ezi sacrifice fly that scored Wilson Batista.
Bridgeport threatened in the ninth inning with runners at second and third with one out. Alex Prieto dropped a single into right to score Batista and almost brought in the tying run but right fielder Jose Herrera gunned down Branden Florence at the plate. A sliding catch by center fielder Keith Reed on a sinking line drive by Caligiuri ended the game and the Bluefish threat.
Newark starter Frank Rodriguez (2-1) picked up the victory in his five frames. Rodriguez allowed two 'Fish runs on just two hits and two walks with one strikeout. Connolly struck out five and gave up all four Newark runs on eight hits and four walks.
Bridgeport looks to rebound tomorrow in the rubber match of the three-game set. Tommy John will send Matt Sweeney (2-6) to the hill to face his former Newark teammates for the first time this season. Jose Garcia will start for the Bears in the 7:05 P.M. series finale.
The Automated ScoreBook Newark Bears at Bridgeport Bluefish Aug 19, 2008 at Bridgeport, CT (Harbor Yard) Newark Bears 4 (17-21)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------Vic Gutierrez 2b......... 5 0 3 1 0 0 3 6 0 Ramon Castro ss.......... 4 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 2 Keith Reed cf............ 5 0 2 0 0 0 6 0 3 Willis Otanez 3b......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 Jose Herrera rf.......... 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 Raul Gonzalez lf......... 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Randall Simon 1b......... 2 2 1 0 2 0 10 1 0 Manny Mejia dh........... 4 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 Scott Knazek c........... 3 0 0 1 1 1 4 0 0 Frank Rodriguez p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shaun Babula p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Andy Shibilo p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 34 4 10 4 5 5 27 14 8 Bridgeport Bluefish 3 (17-20)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------Alex Prieto ss........... 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 5 2 Jay Caligiuri dh......... 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Luis Lopez 3b............ 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jesse Hoorelbeke 1b...... 4 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 Ryan Bear rf............. 2 0 0 1 1 0 7 1 0 Steve Doetsch lf......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 Wilson Batista 2b........ 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 Luis Rodriguez c......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 6 0 0 Branden Florence pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Travis Ezi cf............ 2 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 Mike Connoly p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Franklin Perez p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Matt Pike p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 30 3 8 3 4 3 27 11 8 Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------------Newark Bears........ 001 300 000 - 4 10 0
Bridgeport Bluefish. 110 000 001 - 3 8 0
------------------------------------------- DP - Newark 1; Bluefish 3. LOB - Newark 8; Bluefish 8. 2B - Gutierrez(9); Castro(25); Reed(25). 3B - Herrera(7). HBP - Rodriguez. SH - Ezi(5). SF -Bear(3); Ezi(1). SB - Batista(5); Ezi(16). Newark Bears IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------Frank Rodriguez..... 5.0 2 2 2 2 1 15 20 - Shaun Babula........ 3.0 4 0 0 1 2 12 13 - Andy Shibilo........ 1.0 2 1 1 1 0 3 5 - Bridgeport Bluefish IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------Mike Connoly........ 7.0 8 4 4 4 5 27 31 - Franklin Perez...... 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 3 4 - Matt Pike........... 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 - Win - Rodriguez (2-1). Loss - Connolly (2-2). Save - Shibilo (4). HBP - by Rodriguez (Rodriguez). Pitches/strikes: None.Umpires - HP: Steve Linton 1B: Mike Mazzarisi Start: 7:05 pm Time: 2:49 Attendance: 1334Game: BRG08190 The Automated ScoreBook Newark Bears at Bridgeport Bluefish - Play-by-Play Aug 19, 2008 at Bridgeport, CT (Harbor Yard) Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------------Newark Bears........ 001 300 000 - 4 10 0
Bridgeport Bluefish. 110 000 001 - 3 8 0
------------------------------------------- Newark Bears starters: 2/2b Gutierrez; 19/ss Castro; 27/cf Reed; 36/3b Otanez; 29/rf Herrera; 30/lf Gonzalez; 35/1b Simon; 25/dh Mejia; 28/c Knazek; 33/pRodriguez;Bridgeport Bluefish starters: 3/ss Prieto; 29/dh Caligiuri; 19/3b Lopez; 31/1b Hoorelbeke; 28/rf Bear; 17/lf Doetsch; 30/2b Batista; 27/c Rodriguez; 15/cfEzi; 5/p Connolly; Newark Bears 1st - Gutierrez grounded out to ss. Castro walked. Reed
grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Castro out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 1st - Prieto walked. Caligiuri singled to left
field; Prieto advanced to second. Lopez walked; Caligiuri advanced to second;Prieto advanced to third. Hoorelbeke lined out to 2b. Bear flied out to cf, SF, RBI; Prieto scored. Doetsch lined out to 1b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2LOB. Newark Bears 2nd - Otanez flied out to rf. Herrera grounded out to 2b.
Gonzalez struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 2nd - Batista singled to center field. Batista stole
second. Rodriguez grounded out to 2b; Batista advanced to third. Ezi flied out to cf, SF, RBI; Batista scored. Prieto flied out to cf. 1 run, 1 hit, 0errors, 0 LOB. Newark Bears 3rd - Simon singled to right field. Mejia struck out
looking. Knazek struck out swinging. Gutierrez singled to center field; Simon advanced to second. Castro doubled down the lf line, RBI; Gutierrez advanced tothird; Simon scored. Reed lined out to p. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 3rd - Caligiuri popped up to ss. Lopez grounded out
to 2b. Hoorelbeke flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Newark Bears 4th - Otanez grounded out to ss. Herrera singled to center
field. Gonzalez walked; Herrera advanced to second. Simon walked; Gonzalezadvanced to second; Herrera advanced to third. Mejia singled to center field, RBI; Simon advanced to second; Gonzalez advanced to third; Herrera scored.Knazek walked, RBI; Mejia advanced to second; Simon advanced to third; Gonzalez scored. Gutierrez singled to left field, RBI; Knazek advanced to second; Mejiaadvanced to third; Simon scored. Castro flied into double play rf to c; Mejia out on the play. 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 4th - Bear lined out to cf. Doetsch lined out to cf.
Batista grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Newark Bears 5th - Reed singled to right field. Otanez lined out to rf.
Herrera flied out to cf. Gonzalez flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,1 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 5th - Rodriguez hit by pitch. Ezi reached on a
fielder's choice; Rodriguez out at second 1b to 2b to ss. Ezi stole second. Prieto struck out looking. Caligiuri flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0errors, 1 LOB. Newark Bears 6th - Simon flied out to cf. Mejia struck out swinging.
Knazek flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 6th - Babula to p for Rodriguez. Lopez grounded out
to 2b. Hoorelbeke grounded out to ss. Bear grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Newark Bears 7th - Gutierrez out at first p to ss to 1b. Castro flied
out to rf. Reed doubled to left center. Otanez struck out swinging. 0 runs,1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 7th - Doetsch singled to center field. Batista
grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; Doetsch out on the play. Rodriguez singled to right center. Ezi singled to center field; Rodriguez advanced tosecond. Prieto reached on a fielder's choice; Ezi out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Newark Bears 8th - Perez to p for Connolly. Herrera tripled to right
field. Gonzalez grounded out to 2b. Simon intentionally walked. Mejia groundedinto double play ss to 1b; Simon out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 8th - Caligiuri grounded out to 3b. Lopez singled to
right field. Hoorelbeke struck out swinging. Bear walked; Lopez advanced tosecond. Doetsch struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Newark Bears 9th - Pike to p for Perez. Knazek lined out to cf.
Gutierrez doubled to center field. Castro grounded out to p. Reed flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Bridgeport Bluefish 9th - Shibilo to p for Babula. Batista singled to
pitcher. Rodriguez walked; Batista advanced to second. Florence pinch ran forRodriguez. Ezi grounded out to p, SAC; Florence advanced to second; Batista advanced to third. Prieto singled, advanced to second on the throw, RBI;Florence advanced to third, out at home rf to c; Batista scored. Caligiuri flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.