NEWARK, NJ - Mike Bumstead took the mound on Friday night at The Den gunning for his 14th victory of the season, which would break the Newark Bears single-season record. However, the bullpen blew Bumstead’s ninth inning lead, and then rebounded to win in 10 innings 5-4 over the Long Island Ducks.

He entered the night’s contest with a 13-6 record, his win total tying Jack Armstrong’s 2001 campaign total. Bumstead pitched an excellent game, yielding just four hits and striking out six over eight strong innings. However, his bullpen could not hold his lead and he took a no-decision for the night.

In three previous starts against the Ducks, Bumstead was 1-2 and had not pitched particularly well in any of those games. However, he managed to earn a win on July 8th at Citibank Park, despite giving up five earned runs.

The Ducks offense got on the board early, striking for two runs in the first inning. Edgardo Alfonzo, the second batter of the game, reached on a broken-bat single up the middle which brought P.J. Rose to the plate. Rose hit Bumstead’s offering deep over the right-field wall for the early advantage.

Bumstead settled down yielding just one walk and one more hit through the sixth inning. Meanwhile, the Bears offense was able to wake up and beginning hitting off Ducks starter Randy Leek.

Newark responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs of their own to re-tie the game at 2. Ramon Castro and Keith Reed hit back-to-back home runs off Leek to nearly the same spot beyond the left-center field wall. Reed’s homer was his team-leading 20th of the season.

Newark charged ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Keith Reed smashed a one-out double off the wall in centerfield, setting the table for Willis Otanez’s two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield.

The Ducks responded immediately when Ray Navarette tied the game with his 23rd home run of the season.

However, the Bears would counter right back in the bottom of the frame. Raul Gonzalez reached with a one-out single and was lifted for pinch-runner Mike Just. After Just advanced to second on Ramon Nivar’s groundout, Bobby Hill singled into right field. Third base coach Ryan Jones waved Just around beat a close play at the plate to give Newark the lead.

Bumstead entered the eighth with the lead and set the Long Island order down 1-2-3, entrusting his bullpen to protect his lead.

Reliever Andy Shibilo (1-1) entered the ninth to try and hold the small margin, but Rose blasted Shibilo’s fastball over the wall for his second home run of the game, knotting the game at 4.

Ramon Nivar led-off the tenth, singling off Ducks reliever Vic Darensbourgh. After Hill sacrificed him over to second, Ramon Castro hit a slow ground ball to third, where Rose had moved to in the sixth inning. Even a perfect throw would not have gotten Castro at first, but the throw was wild and Nivar came around to score and send the Bears home as winners.

Unfortunately for Bumstead, he will have to wait for his next start to try and break that record.

Randy Leek who was on the short end of the decision until Rose’s home run still has not lost since Jun. 4. He battled Bumstead well, giving up nine hits and four earned runs over seven innings.

The Bears and Ducks meet Saturday afternoon for the third game of a four-game series. Robert Giron takes the mound for Newark while Long Island counters with Jose Paniagua.

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