By MICHAEL RADANO
Courier-Post Staff
NEWARK

Lincoln Mikkelson deserved better.

In oppressive heat, Mikkelson worked eight strong innings and when he got into trouble used two pickoffs, a double play and a caught stealing to get through seven innings unscathed.

Unfortunately, it's been the same script for Mikkelson all season. The one inning he did give up runs paired with a lack of support from his offense led to yet another Camden Riversharks loss on Tuesday night.

Newark exploited its home field in a 3-1 win over the Sharks in front of an announced crowd of 5,847 at Bears & Eagles Stadium. It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Sharks, who started the current road trip with four straight wins, including a sweep of the Long Island Ducks.

"I'm concerned about how our offense has produced over the past three games," manager Wayne Krenchicki said. "I was happy with (Mikkelson). He threw a great game. It just didn' t go our way."

The Sharks managed six hits off of four different pitchers, including starter Tim Cain, who went six innings to pick up his fifth win of the year.

Newark (10-13 half, 48-38 overall) took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of home runs.

Mikkelson had faced the minimum amount of batters through the first three innings despite an error and a walk.

Joe Mathis led off the fourth inning with a single. Jeff Ball followed with a drive into the Newark bullpen 330 feet away in left field. Newark may be the second most generous park in the league, behind only Atlantic City's The Sandcastle.

Two outs later Billy Ashley hit a home run, which would have been out of Yellowstone Park let alone Bears & Eagles, also over the left-field wall and into the top of the 40- foot netting that sits behind the bullpen.

"That's just what I seem to do," said Mikkelson, who only threw 103 pitches. "The first home run, I brushed off ( catcher Guillermo Garcia) twice to throw my pitch. Obviously it was the wrong pitch.

"No, I'm not happy with tonight."

Camden (8-15, 32-54) opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third.

Haddon Township graduate Brad Strauss started the inning with a single off Newark first baseman Billy Ashley's glove. A walk to Jesus Azuaje brought Dwight Maness to the plate with first and second and none out. Maness lifted a fly to, and it should come as no surprise in this toughest of season, the warning track in the deepest corner of the park in right center. It did allow Strauss to move to third. He scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly by catcher Guillermo Garcia.

•From the Shark Tank: Are they worth it?

The Bears announced on Tuesday the signing of Hensley " Bam Bam" Meulens, who played 97 games with the New York Yankees.

Newark has made a living off of high profile, if not priced, players in a league that features a maximum of $3, 000 month salaries. At one time or another the Newark lineup has featured former major league names like Jim Leyritz, Jamie Navarro, Pete Incaviglia, Lance Johnson and Ozzie and Jose Canseco.