NEWARK, N.J. — Michael Coleman didn't much care about his return to Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. The only thing that mattered was ending an 0-for-18 slump over five games.
In a deluge of offense Tuesday, Coleman got it done. He went 2-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBIs as the Bridgeport Bluefish outlasted the Newark Bears 11-9 before an announced crowd of 2,150. "I added up the (at-bats in the slump). Every one of them," said Coleman, who spent parts of the last two seasons with the Bears. "You're pressing, and when you're in a slump, you want to hit a five-run home run. But playing as long as I have, you just keep battling. It will come."
The Bluefish (22-15) scored at least one run in the first five innings and finished with a season-high 20 hits. Gary Burnham went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored for the Bluefish. Hector Kuilan went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and three runs scored. Angel Espada and D.J. Boston each added three hits, one RBI and scored a run.
On May 31 against the Bears, Bluefish starter Josh Kalinowski had his best outing of the season, working seven scoreless innings. In the rematch, he allowed season-highs of six runs and nine hits in three innings.
But each time the Bears broke through against Kalinowski, the Bluefish answered by roughing up starter Carlos Castillo (0-1) and Darryl Roque. They scored two runs in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 10-6 lead.
Andy Shibilo (1-0) struck out three in 1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.
Keith Maxwell was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Bears (19-19).
"When the offense was shaky, the pitching did a great job for us," Bluefish manager Chico Lind said. "This is teamwork and it's good to see our bats come alive."
