NEWARK, NJ - The Newark Bears are finding new ways to win ball games.

For most of the year, Newark pounded the opposition with a barrage of hits and home runs, pouring on the runs with a superior lineup. They’re a different team now, winning close, low-scoring games like the one on Saturday night at Riverfront Stadium. They defeated the Long Island Ducks 5-4 to guarantee at least a split of the four-game series.

The Bears had to battle back from a deficit as the Ducks took an early lead in the top of the second inning. With two out and no one on, Damian Rolls blasted a home run over the left-field wall off the netting for a 1-0 Long Island advantage.

Long Island added two more in the top of the fifth on another home run, this one a two-run shot by Dennis Donovan. He shocked every person at the The Den by depositing just his second bomb of the year beyond the left-field wall.

Through six innings, Long Island starter Jose Paniagua was cruising along, with the exception of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning which he escaped by striking out the side in between three hits by Newark.

At the time, the game’s outlook wasn’t a rosy one for the Bears. Paniagua had a four-hit shutout going, and Newark was wasting a very good start by Roberto Giron who struggled mightily in his two previous starts, compiling an earned run average of 10.18. Giron had given up three runs, but was battling hard and keeping his ballclub in the game.

The Bears were finally able to reach Paniagua in the seventh inning. Randall Simon and Raul Gonzalez led-off the frame with singles bringing up Ramon Nivar. Nivar smashed a double down the left-field line scoring Simon from second. Scott Knazek came up to the plate and was hit by the first pitch that Paniagua threw.

At that point, Long Island manager Dave LaPoint had seen enough. Paniagua (3-1) was lifted after that sequence in favor of right-hander Travis Wade. Wade struck out Bobby Hill on a three-two fastball to get the first out of the inning. But then Ramon Castro stepped to the dish and singled up the middle, scoring Gonzalez and Nivar to knot the game at 3. After Keith Reed grounded into a fielder’s choice, Will Otanez laced a single into left field. Castro beat a close play at home to give the Bears a 4-3 lead.

Wayne Krenchicki also went to the bullpen after that inning. Cory Willey came on in the eighth, replacing Giron (1-2) who, despite behind on the losing end most of the game, left as the pitch of record on the winning side. Giron kept his team in the game by giving up just three runs on five hits over seven innings and striking out six.

Andy Shibilo (5) came on with one out in the ninth and got the final two outs for the save.
Rolls led Long Island offensively, going four-for-four and being a thorn in the side of the Bears all night long. Gonzalez countered Rolls by reaching base four times himself on three singles and a first-inning error by the shortstop Donovan.

Newark and Long Island complete their four-game series on Sunday at The Den. The Long Island southpaw Abe Alvarez will start on the hill against Newark’s Jose Garcia.

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