Big days by shortstop Mike Richard, designated hitter Tucker Nathans and third baseman D’Angelo Jimenez powered the Bears to an 8-4 win over the Tornadoes on Saturday night.
Richard was 2-for-3 on the day with a stolen base and three runs scored. Nathans went 3-for-3 with two walks, two runs scores and two RBI. As for Jimenez, the former New York Yankee was 2-for-4 with three RBI on the day.
The Bears jumped all over the Tornadoes in the bottom of the fourth inning. Already holding a 1-0 lead, Newark pounded out five runs on three hits to blow the game open, 6-0.
First baseman John Patrick Reardon and second baseman Juan Martinez got the inning started with back-to-back singles. Reardon would come into score on an error by Worcester pitcher Conner Hulse, who was trying to field a sacrifice attempt by Charlie Stewart.
Next, Richard was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Nathans, who drew a walk to drive in Martinez with the second run of the inning.
Jimenez put the exclamation point on the inning with a two-run single to make it 5-0 Bears. James Roche tacked on the fifth and final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to left to give Newark a dominating 6-0 lead.
Bears starter Omar Javier ran into some trouble in the fifth inning, when Worcester rallied to score four runs. Second baseman Tony Patane grounded into a double play that plated a run to get the Tornadoes on the board. An error by Reardon, on what would have been the third out of the inning, opened the door as Worcester would tally three more runs in the inning to make it 6-4 Newark.
Nathans extended the Bears’ lead with an RBI triple in the sixth inning. He would come around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jimenez, to put Newark ahead, 8-4.
Reliever Caleb Cuevas pitched 1.1 innings, striking out three batters and walking just one on his way to the victory.
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