Sean Jarrett Just Had His Best Start Of 2012, 'Sharks Win 4-1

Sean Jarrett threw seven strong innings in a 4-1 victory over the Somerset Patriots this afternoon at Campbell's Field. Jarrett allowed one run on four hits, while striking out five. He retired the first eight batters he faced.

Camden got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when a Drew Macias sacrifice fly scored Marquez Smith, who had doubled to lead off the inning.  Later, a Steve Doetsch RBI double scored Eduardo Perez to make it 2-0 'Sharks.

In the fifth, Macias crushed a bases loaded double that scored Lloyd Turner and Smith and made it 4-0.

Somerset's lone run came in the seventh when Yusef Carter grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Jesse Hoorelbeke.

In relief of Jarrett, Jason Bergmann and John Lujan shut the door on any Pats rally, allowing no hits and striking out two. Lujan picked up his seventh save of 2012.

Absolutely Sweet Macias

It was the complete opposite of last night's game.

The Camden Riversharks scored eight runs on fourteen hits, and despite a Long Island rally, held on to beat the Ducks 8-5 tonight at Campbell's Field.

Perhaps frustrated with the lack of runs in last night's 1-0 pitcher's duel, the baseball gods smiled early and often on both teams. The Ducks scored first when Brandon Sing's RBI single scored Craig Binick in the top of the first to make it 1-0.

But the Riversharks had Long Island starter Bob Zimmermann's number. They answered back in the bottom of the frame with three runs of their own. Marquez Smith knocked in Chris Walker with an RBI single, and Jake Eigsti plated Lloyd Turner when he grounded into a double play. Smith later scored from third when Zimmermann uncorked a wild pitch.

Camden got another run in the second when Walker singled in Steve Doetsch to make it 4-1.

In the third, Drew Macias blasted a two run shot OVER the Cooper Health sign in right. Suddenly it was 6-1.

Then...the wheels almost came off.

Long Island scored four runs in the fourth. Brandon Sing blasted a solo homer to lead off. Rey Navarette doubled. Shawn Williams almost put on over Lloyd Turner's head for a base hit, but Turner layed out and made a spectacular catch to retire him. Reid Gorecki smoked a two run dinger to left center, and the Ducks were within a run at 6-5.

Exit Bryan Corey, enter the bullpen combo of Blake King, Zach Hammes, Jeff Farnsworth and John Lujan. They combined to shut down the Ducks offense for the rest of the night. In four and two thirds innings, they allowed just one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

The 'Sharks added some insurance in the seventh when Eduardo Perez's RBI single scored Macias, and Doetsch singled in Perez despite getting tagged out between first and second to end the inning.

Reese Shuts It Down, Smith Lights It Up

Drew Macias' 9th inning, bases loaded sacrifice fly to right field scored Marquez Smith, and the Camden Riversharks beat the Long Island Ducks 1-0 tonight, behind a quality start from righty Kevin Reese.

Reese threw six innings of shutout baseball, allowing just four hits, while striking out three. The bullpen combo of Zach Hammes, Jason Bergmann, and John Lujan continued blanking the Ducks, allowing just one hit in three innings of relief. 

Long Island threatened to score in the top of the 8th, after a throwing error by catcher Scott Knazek allowed Craig Binick to take third base with one out. But Bergmann got Brandon Sing to hit a grounder right to Marquez Smith, who alertly fired the ball to Knazek for out number two. Ray Navarrete ended the Ducks threat by flying out to right field for the third out. 

Smith had a great night at the dish as well, going 2 for 3 with two doubles as well as scoring the winning run.

Sharks Rally Past Pats, 4-3

Drew Macias had a huge day at the plate, going 3 for 4 and hitting what turned out to be the game winning home run in the top of the 9th inning, as the Camden Riversharks came from behind to defeat the Somerset Patriots 4-3 at TD Bank Park.

Starter Sean Jarrett struggled with his control at times, but was helped by some excellent defensive plays by the 'Sharks in his 5 innings of work.

Somerset would strike first, however. In the 4th, Pats left fielder Aaron Mathews stroked a single to left that scored both Freddie Bynum and Freddy Sandoval.

The Patriots added one more run in the 5th when a Jesse Hoorelbeke single to right scored Bynum to make it 3-0.

But the 'Sharks tied the game with back-to back RBI singles in the 8th by Colin Roberson and Scott Knazek, and Macias' late-inning heroics put Camden up to stay.

In relief of Jarrett, the bullpen combo of Joe D'Allessandro, Mike Mehlich and John Lujan were absolutely superb over the course of four shutout innings, striking out eight Patriots between them and not allowing any hits. Mehlich gets the win, his first, and Lujan notches his fifth save.

Ah Yes, The Old 3-5-2-5-4-5 Double Play. That Old Chestnut.

Colina is never, EVER getting this jersey back.

It didn't take long for Scott Knazek to make an impact with his new squad.

The 27 year old catcher was released from the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League on Wednesday. Tonight, inserted into the 'Sharks lineup and wearing Alvin Colina's #25 jersey, Knazek launched the first pitch he saw from 'Stormers righty Mark Brackman over the left field wall.

The Barnstormers got on the board first, when in the top of the first Fehlandt Lentini took a Keith Weiser fastball deep over the wall in left center. But the 'Sharks answered back in the bottom of the frame when Drew Macias homered to right to tie it at 1-1.

Macias blasted a line drive over the right field wall to tie the game.

Billy Rice took advantage of right fielder Ryan Harvey's fielding error in the bottom of the second, stretching a ball that should have been caught into a one out triple. Then Steven Doetsch hit into the weirdest double play I've ever seen, going 3-5-2-5-4-5 to get Rice breaking for home and Doetsch halfway between 2nd and 3rd.

Knazek's 2 run homer followed in the 3rd. Lancaster would tie the game at 3 in the fourth, when a Jaime Pedroza single scored Jesus Merchan and Kody Kirkland. But the Riversharks pulled ahead in the bottom of the frame when RBI singles from Knazek, Chris Walker and Lloyd Turner made it 6-3.

The bullpen combo of Kyle Reese, Jason Bergamann and John Lujan combined for 7 strikeouts in relief of Weiser, and shut the door on any hopes of a 'Stormers late inning rally. Weiser gets the win, his first of 2012. Lujan gets the save, his second.

Sharks win!! 

I Don't Know How To Put This, But Brian Burgamy Is (Still) Kind Of A Big Deal. People Know Him.

The Camden Riversharks weren't having the greatest night.

Starter Humberto Sanchez was yanked after just an inning and two-thirds of work. The 'Sharks scored first, when a Lloyd Turner double scored Billy Rice to make it 1-0. But the 'Stormers took advantage of Sanchez' early control issues when right fielder Fehlandt Lentini crushed a three run homer to right to take a 3-1 lead.

Out of the bullpen, Kevin Reese pitched remarkably well, scattering four hits over five and one-third innings, striking out one, and more importantly keeping the 'Stormers from pulling too far ahead (see: last night's game).

Meanwhile, Camden slowly crept back into it. Scoring once in the fifth when Brian Burgamy singled in Rice to make it 3-2, and once more in the seventh when an error by "Stormers first baseman Tommy Everidge again allowed Rice to score, the game was knotted up at three going into the top of the ninth.

Then 'Stormers left fielder Blake Gailen absolutely murdered a fastball from John Lujan over the wall in left center (it actually hit the Wawa sign with an extremely loud, echoing THUD). Lancaster led 4-3, and all looked bleak for the Mudville Nine.

But the 'Sharks had apparently saved their best for last. In the ninth, Lloyd Turner led off with a single. Felix Pie seemed destined to hit into a double play but "Stormers shortstop Jesus Merchan, who had such an amazing game last night, couldn't field the ball cleanly. Lancaster wound up only getting Turner, Pie was safe on a fielder's choice.

Pie came up limping after his run to first, and after getting checked out by trainers and coaches, walked off the field under his own power, seemingly alright.

Patty Matera pinch runs for Pie, with Brian Burgamy due up. It's at this point that I yelled: "Hey Brian!! You're going to have to hit it to the f#cking moon if you want Matera to score from first!!"

He must've heard me.

Burgamy took 'Stormers reliever Jeff Bennett's 1-0 fastball deep to straight away center.

Home run. Ballgame. 'Sharks win in walk-off, wild fashion 5-3.

Everybody (On The Barnstormers) Hits

For a while, things looked good for the Camden Riversharks tonight.

 Trailing the 'Stormers 3-0 going into the bottom of the 4th, Chris Walker led off the inning with a triple. Lloyd Turner singled in Walker, and Brian Burgamy and Eduardo Perez both walked. Drew Macias drove in Turner and Burgamy with a single to left, and suddenly the game was tied.

 Starter Keith Weiser retired Lancaster in order in the top of the fifth, and the 'Sharks took a 5-3 lead when Brian Burgamy smoked a ball to the outfield fence, scoring Turner and Felix Pie.

 Enter Blake King.

King subbed for Weiser in the top of the sixth, hereafter to be know as "the inning the wheels fell off". Lancaster scored four runs, on only one hit. The 'Sharks committed three errors, and the combination of King and Zach Hammes walked four batters.

The 'Stormers led 7-5, and never trailed again. Tacking on 8 MORE RUNS in the 7th and 8th innings, the final score was Lancaster 15, Camden 5.

Barnstormers shortstop Jesus Marchan had a career night, going 5 for 6 with an RBI.

'Sharks DH Colin Roberson FINALLY got a hit, doubling his average to a gaudy .077.

Burgamy's Career Day Propels Sharks Over Revs

The Riversharks defeated the York Revolution 15-10 in the final game of the series at Sovereign Bank Stadium Thursday morning. 

Bryan Corey (1-1) earned the win allowing four runs on five hits, fanning two and walking none in five innings. 

Chris Cody (0-2) suffered the loss surrendering nine runs, ten hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. 

The Riversharks started the game with a leadoff single by Lloyd Turner. Two outs quickly followed but the bats kept going. Felix Pie, Brian Burgamy and Drew Macias all reached on singles. Macias’ single allowed Pie to score. Eduardo Perez and Steve Doestch were then walked allowing another run to score followed by a two-run single from Jake Eigsti. 

In the top of the third Doestch hit a double putting runners on second and third. Jake Eigsti followed with a double advancing the Riversharks lead to 6-0. 

Camden put three more runs on the board in the fourth and York answered with three runs of their own giving the Riversharks a six run lead. 

Scott Grimes hit a solo homerun for the Revs in the fifth. 

The Riversharks added another run to their lead in the top of the sixth and Andres Perez hit a grand slam off ‘Sharks reliever Chris Rollins to make the score 10-8. 

Turner scored in the top of the seventh due to a double by Pie and Burgamy followed with a two-run homer. 

The ‘Sharks and the Revs both scored twice more with runs in both the eighth and ninth innings. 

Pie went 3-for-5 with four runs, one double and one RBI. Burgamy went 5-for-6 with four runs, a homerun, a double and three RBIs. Eigsti went 2-for-5 with one run, one double and four RBIs. 

In Which The City Of Bridgeport Conspires To Give Me Hypothermia.

Note to self: Bridgeport in April is a miserable place to watch a baseball game.

Thursday night, the Camden Riversharks began the 2012 season by blowing a four run lead and eventually losing 9-7 to the Bridgeport Bluefish. Starter Mike McGuire surrendered five runs on seven hits in just over 5 innings of work, but the line of the night came from his relief, Mike Mehlich. Lasting 1/3 of an inning, Mehlich gave up 6 runs on 4 hits, walking FOUR BATTERS before being yanked for Zach Hammes.

ABL MVP and all around big deal Brian Burgamy went 3 for 4, and Jake "Von" Eigsti went 2 for 4 with a double, 3 RBI and a run scored. That covers just about all the good news from game one of this series.

It rained off and on for the entire game, making for a miserable night in the stands. Luckily, there were virtually no Bluefish fans to be found. Paid attendance was somewhere around 700, in a stadium that seats over 5,000. It would've been funny if it wasn't so sad. Yeah, I get it, a weekday night, with miserable weather, but this is your HOME OPENER we're talking about, 'Fish.

Game 2, on Friday, wasn't hampered by rain. But it was bloody FREEZING in Bridgeport tonight.

Starter Sean Jarrett went 5 strong innings, and the offense blew up. Felix Pie hit a 2 run dinger in the 5th to put Camden up 4-0, and Drew Macias hit a bases clearing triple in the 7th to make it 7-0 Sharks. Shea Harris plated another run in the 8th with an RBI double.

Macias wasn't done. In the 9th he launched his first homer of the season over the centerfield wall to make the score 9-0. The bullpen combined for four shutout innings and the Sharks have their first win of 2012.

Drew Macias Signed By Los Angeles Angels

by Michael Barone

CAMDEN, NJ -- Former Rivershark Drew Macias has signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Macias, 28, will report to spring training to compete for a spot on the Major League roster.

Macias spent most of the 2011 season with the Camden Riversharks before signing a contract in August with the San Diego Padres to play for their AAA affiliate, the Tucson Padres. With the Riversharks, he batted .267 and had 63 hits in 74 games. When Macias left the team, his .366 on-base percentage led the ‘Sharks and his eight home runs was the fifth highest total.

“We are always very pleased when one of our former players is signed by a major league organization,” states Adam Lorber, General Manager of the Camden Riversharks. “We wish him great luck in the future.”

Macias made his major league debut in 2007 with the San Diego Padres and has previously been a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, as well. He has played in 69 career Major League games.

Macias was originally drafted in the 35th round by the San Diego Padres in the 2002 Major League Draft.

Macias Signs With Padres, Makes Immediate Impact

Riversharks rightfielder Drew Macias signed with the San Diego Padres yesterday, and was assigned to the AAA Tuscon Padres in the Pacific Coast League. Macias started in centerfield for Tuscon's game tonight against the New Orleans Zephyrs. He didn't disappoint, going 2 for 3 with a double and 3 RBI in a 7-4 win.

In 74 games with the Sharks this year, Macias batted .267, with 8 homers and 31 RBI. In one of the last games I saw him play in a Sharks uni, Macias went 3 for 4 with 2 homers and a double. He was a huge factor in the Sharks recent 8 game winning streak, and his clutch hits and quality fielding contributed immensely to the team's great 2nd half start. He will be sorely missed.

I was lucky enough to grab a souvenir from Macias' monster 2 home run game against the Lancaster Barnstormers: