With the score tied and one out in the 10th, the Camden Riversharks caught a break.

They gave it back in the 11th.

Bridgeport beat the Sharks 4-1 in front of 3,619 at Campbell's Field Saturday night. The loss was the eighth consecutive and the second on what has become a crucial nine-game homestand if the Sharks want to make the playoffs. In this season of missed chances, this homestand is looking like another.

"We lost tonight because we didn't hit," said Shark manager Wayne Krenchicki, whose team stranded 16 runners. " We made some mistakes late in the game but that's not why we lost. The offense stinks right now."

In the 11th, reliever Rod Bolton, who was the last of three pitchers that didn't allow an earned run the entire night, allowed a leadoff single to Brendan Kingman. Bill Rich then laid down a sacrifice bunt that third baseman Brad Strauss fielded. Strauss had to move quickly and tried to get Kingman at second. His throw pulled shortstop Jesus Azuaje off the bag for an error.

"We had a chance to get him at first," Krenchicki said of the play. "That's a situation, when you're in that part of the game, you have to get an out. If we get the out at first, you know not trying for the miracle, we can walk Singleton and the double play is there for us."

After Duane Singleton grounded out and Jason McQuiniff was given an intentional walk, Jose Delgado came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

The Sharks seemed to be out of trouble when Delgado hit a two-hopper to Dan Held at first. With Kingman, a slow runner, breaking for the plate Held had a chance to get the second out at first and then come home. He slipped on the bag, the throw was late and Bridgeport led 2-1.

"If he didn't slip it was a perfect double play," Krenchicki said. "He did the right thing. He was standing right there. All he had to do was step on the bag and throw. It's a shame the way the game ended but that's been par for the course."

Bridgeport took a 4-1 edge when Strauss committed his second error of the inning. He threw Rolo Avila's slow grounder past Held into right field.

Bridgeport threatened to take the lead in the 10th. Just 1-46 when trailing after eight innings, the Sharks couldn't afford to let Bridgeport get a lead in extra innings.

Avila started the inning with a single. Dee Jenkins' sacrifice bunt moved Avila to second. A walk to Mel Wearing brought Orreste Marrero to the plate with a chance to bring home the go-ahead run.

Avila took off for third and easily stole the base. So Sharks catcher Guillermo Garcia threw to first and picked Wearing off. The tag seemed a bit high on Wearing's arm but umpire Mike Rosen called him out. Bridgeport manager Duffy Dyer came his third-base box to complain but it didn't matter.

Reliever Jimmy Williams then struck out Marrero to end the inning.

The Sharks (32-58 overall, 8-19 half) jumped to a 1-0 lead off starter Dave Swanson.

With one out and Strauss on second, Darrell Nicholas hit one back at Swanson. Strauss broke toward third and was out after a run down. The point was made moot when Nicholas stole second.

Nicholas scored two batters later on a bloom single by Held.

The run looked like it would hold up as Sharks starter Ryan Schurman gave seven strong innings to the cause. Schurman, who has been among the league leaders all year in ERA at 2.99, has been a huge addition to the starting rotation. Schurman began the season in the bullpen.

•In case you missed it: Friday's storms held up the game for 45 minutes not to mention knocked down part of the outfield wall. Because many that already held tickets chose not to attend due to the weather, anyone with a ticket for Aug. 10 will receive a free ticket to any regular-season game through the end of the year.

"We had hundreds of calls during the afternoon," general manager John Brandt said.

"Many of these fans had tickets to the game but didn't want to risk coming out in the storm and I don't blame them."

Ticket stubs from Friday's game will also be honored.

•The sign guys: If nothing else, Campbell's Field has been a favorite stop for opposing fan clubs.

The Long Island Ducks, Newark Bears, Somerset Patriots, Atlantic City Surf and now Bridgeport Bluefish have had groups of fans make a pilgrimage to the newest jewel in the Atlantic League's stadiums crown. The groups have numbered between 10 and 20 but they have been passionate.

Bridgeport's fans brought with them the sign guys.

A foursome of fans, who obviously miss the annual Grateful Dead tours, have hand-painted signs declaring their love of the Bluefish.