NEWARK, NJ - After a dramatic finish in Game 1, the Newark Bears were able to tack on late insurance runs this time to avoid having to overcome another late-inning lead. The Bears swung their way to a 10-6 victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers in Game 2 of their doubleheader.

Newark got off to a quick start in the bottom of the second. Starter Tim McClaskey walked Cory Aldridge to start the inning, and then got two outs before walking Tim Sweeney. Scott Knazek made him pay by smashing a line drive over the left-center field wall for a three-run homer to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.

Things got dicey in the top of the third when David Pellegrine got into trouble. Manny Mejia singled to lead off the inning which was followed by Jutt Hileman hitting a ball off of third baseman Mike Sweeney’s glove. Mike Woods came up and singled to load the bases. Pellegrine then proceeded to walk five of the next six hitters, giving up four runs before he was finally replaced by Edwin Almonte. Almonte struck out Hileman to end the inning.

The walk carousel continued in the bottom of the inning, but this time it went against Lancaster when Bobby Hill led-off with a free-pass of his own. Keith Reed and Cory Aldridge followed up with walks loading the bases for Val Majewski. Majewski singled into right field plating Hill and Reed. One batter later, Tim Sweeney brought in Aldridge and Majewski after both advanced on a wild pitch by Yamel Guevara.

However, before that, what must have been a first in Atlantic League history took place.

Aldridge and Majewski attempted a double steal of second and third. On the attempt, Barnstormers catcher Larry Burkhart threw a peg that landed somewhere near the Hudson River. However, he ordered Aldridge and Majewski back to their bases ruling umpire interference. In essence, he called a do-over.

“I saw him put his hands up and he was saying ‘interference,’” said hitting coach Ryan Jones. “And I figured he meant batter’s interference, which didn’t happen and I was about to go out there and let him know that. And he said ‘no, it’s umpire’s interference’ and I said ‘oh, really? ‘I’ve never heard of that before.’ So, that was an interesting situation to say the least.”

Lancaster made it 7-6 on an RBI single by Vasili Spanos which scored Woods who reached on Sweeney’s second error of the game.

Newark added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Mike Just led the inning off with a walk. He stole second and Hill moved him to third with a ground out. Brian Burgamy then laced a single into left scoring Just. Later in the inning, Val Majewski plated Burgamy on a sacrifice fly. The next batter, Jose Herrera pinch-hit for Gerard Haran and doubled down the right field line, bringing home Reed.

Notes: Cory Aldridge walked in all four of his at-bats in Game 2. He also walked in his final at-bat of game 1 and singled before that, reaching base in six consecutive plate appearances. Mike Just has now dropped to ninth in the order, giving Bobby Hill the opportunity to lead off. “I’m working on some things right now,” said Just. “I’ll work through it and be ready to go.” Almonte picked up the win in relief.

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