By JOSH CUTLER

PLANET VALENTI Sports

(PITTSFIELD, SUNDAY JULY 10, 2011) — How the tables can turn from one side to another in a flash. Last night, the tables turned in a Wink.

Though Pittsfield got out to an early 6-2 lead, a six-run 8th inning by the Bears, capped by a grand slam by Tim Raines Jr., powered Newark over the Colonials 9-6 before 1,083 fans at Historic Wahconah Park.

The loss ends the Cs’ a five game winning streak, and with New Jersey’s victory over Quebec, the Colonials drop 1 ½ games behind the Jackals in the race for second place.

Bears Take Command In 8th with 6 Runs

Keefe elected to leave Chad Paronto (3-4) in the game to start the eighth.  Following singles by Daryle Ward and Danny Santiesteban, Pat Biserta’s fielder’s choice narrowed the score to 6-4.  Ryan Walsh would then single and Billy Alvino reached on a fielder’s choice, setting up runners on the corners with two outs.  Keefe still stuck with an obviously laboring  Paronto, who then walked Burt Reynolds to load the bases.

Keefe then decided he’d seen enough and summoned struggling lefty T.J. Wink (1.74 ERA) out of the pen to try to get out of the jam.  After beginning the year with 17.2 scoreless innings, Wink had been lit up in his previous two outing. Wink’s slump continued, in “grand” fashion. Kyle Davis singled to bring the Bears within one run. RAines followed by hammering Wink’s first pitch over the center field fence for a grand slam.

Keefe: ‘Just One of Those Innings’

Colonials Manager Jamie Keefe said that the poor eighth inning is just a product of the game of baseball: “It was just one of those innings.  They just put the ball in play, and a couple of those times, the balls weren’t hit hard enough to have a play made on them”

The overall numbers for Paronto weren’t pretty, allowing seven runs on thirteen hits through 7 2/3 innings. Even as his mates went ahead 6-2, Paronto looked out of synch. He went deep into counts and couldn’t get comfortable on the mound.

Keefe said he felt Paronto’s poor results could largely be attributed to bad luck: “He gave up 12 singles and a double, and six balls were probably hit hard all night.  Everything was on the ground, and with our defense, that’s what you want, but they found holes.”

Pittsfield With Early Control in Game

The Colonials took early control of the game in the second when Johnny Welch slammed a 1-1 offering from Johnny Estrada (2-4) over the bullpen fence with a runner on first to give Pittsfield an early 2-0 lead. The home run was Welch’s 12th of the season, giving him the Can-Am lead.

Though Newark would tie the game in the fourth, Pittsfield forge ahead in the fourth.  Billy Mottram and Angel Molina led off the inning with walks.  After a double steal, Welch laced a 2-1 single to left, plating two more runs to give Pittsfield a 4-2 lead.  Peter Fatse continued the inning with a bunt single placed perfectly past the pitcher and between the first and second basemen.  Chris Torres would bring in the fifth C’s run with a sacrifice fly to center.  After a strikeout by Rafael Cabreja, Jerod Edmondson lined a single to center and brought home the sixth Pittsfield run.

Santiesteban and Kyle Davis each pitched in three hits for the Bears, while Bomback and Welch contributed two hits apiece for Pittsfield.

COLONIALS NOTES: Pat Moran, MacKenzie King, and David Qualben will take the hill for Pittsfield during the upcoming three-game road trip beginning Sunday in Brockton … Saturday’s game was the 9th time in 22 dates that the Colonials have drawn over 1,000 fans to Wahconah Park.  Pittsfield had only achieved 1,000+ fan dates three times in 2010. … Bears Manager Jim Leyritz was ejected by home plate umpire Craig Potter in the 5th inning for arguing a non-call on what he perceived to be catcher’s interference.  To illustrate his point, Leyritz took out his cellular phone and looked up the rule to show Potter, who gave him the heave-ho.  Leyritz was spotted later during the game chatting with fans, signing autographs, and posing for photos in the third base bleachers.