Rickles' Two Blasts Carry Snappers Past Kernels
May 22, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Beloit Sky Carp News Release
BELOIT, WI - Nick Rickles pummeled his first two home runs of the season to power the Beloit Snappers past the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 7-6, on Wednesday night with 371 fans on hand at Pohlman Field in Midwest League action.
The Snappers win streak rolls on to five games and they are now 26-18 and still hold the lead in the Western Division wild card race. The Kernels drop to 30-14.
"We take every game pretty seriously," said Rickles, "especially when we're playing a first-place team. We want to win the division this year and we're going to go out and fight for every game."
Cedar Rapids jumped on top in the second on a Jhonatan Arias RBI single, but Beloit quickly struck back in their half of the inning against starter Hudson Boyd (1-2). A double and a walk put two men in scoring position and base hits by Christopher Bostick and Ryan Mathews each tallied a run for a 2-1 advantage.
The Snappers broke out the big bats starting in the third, as Bruce Maxwell tattooed a solo homer over the wall in center for his second bomb of the season. One inning later, Rickles (2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 runs) rocketed a two-run shot, his first of the year, off the scoreboard in left to increase the lead to 5-1.
That was cut to two in the fifth when Byron Buxton (1-4, RBI, run, SB) laced a run-scoring triple into right-center off Tyler Vail (1-1) and scored on a groudout, but Rickles was soon at it again. He stroked his second homer of the night and the season, once again with a man on, out to right and Beloit went up by four.
"It feels pretty good," said Rickles. "I've been scuffling a little bit this year, but I've been putting in a lot of work and changed some things around and I feel like it showed. Hopefully I can continue to do it."
Despite trailing, the Kernels persevered and scored once in the eighth when Adam Brett Walker singled and later came home on a groundout. They mounted another threat in the ninth, as a walk and an error put the first two men on. After Niko Goodrum banged into a double play, Jorge Polanco hit a towering two-run homer to dead center and the game was suddenly 7-6. That's when Ryan Dull took over on the mound and induced Dalton Hicks to pop out to Rickles for the game's final out and his seventh save.
An early game is next on the schedule for these two teams, as they will square off on Thursday beginning at 11:00am. The pitching matchup will be RHP Seth Streich (4-2, 6.63 ERA) for Beloit and LHP Mason Melotakis (3-1, 3.09 ERA) for Cedar Rapids. The Snappers are holding the second Snappy School Day of the year as part of this game. Despite the early start, Snappy Hour will still be included in the festivities, meaning 8oz drafts of Miller Lite for $1 at the Firehouse Grill. Check out the Main Stand for $1 small sodas and the Sud's O'Hanahan's Bullpen Deck and Miller On Deck for 12oz rail mixed drinks, priced at $3.
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Midwest League Stories from May 22, 2013
- Dayton Prevails In Battle Of The Bullpens - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Kernels Fall 7-6 to Beloit - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Rickles' Two Blasts Carry Snappers Past Kernels - Beloit Sky Carp
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- Lowery Cools LumberKings in 5-3 Loss - Clinton LumberKings
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- Almora Debuts in Cougars Loss - Kane County Cougars
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- Loons to Collect Items for U.S. Troops - Great Lakes Loons
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- Captains Outslugged By Lugnuts - Lake County Captains
- Dragons vs. Whitecaps - Game Notes - May 22, 2013 - Dayton Dragons
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