MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Error Gives Beloit Walk-Off W in 10, 6-5

Published on June 1, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Beloit, WI - The series opener between the Clinton LumberKings and Beloit Snappers featured a combined 23 hits, six errors, four blown saves, a robbed home run, and three lead changes that occurred over the last two innings. Unfortunately for Clinton (27-27), the last lead change resulted in a heartbreaking 6-5, 10-inning loss.

And through it all, Beloit's Boog Powell found himself involved in nearly every rally, both offensively and defensively.

But before Powell's memorable night, two talented righties - Edwin Diaz of Clinton and Kyle Finnegan of Beloit - went toe-to-toe for the second time in two weeks. In their first meeting, Finnegan bested Diaz in a Snappers 1-0 win at Ashford University Field.

At Pohlman Field, it was Finnegan who out-dueled Diaz again.

The Snappers scored single runs in the first and second innings off of Diaz (2-2) who departed after five innings. Powell scored from third on a Melvin Mercedes RBI groundout after the Snappers' leadoff man reached third on a two-base throwing error by Joe DeCarlo on the back end of a bunt single. A run-scoring single by Powell in the second made it a 2-0 Snappers advantage.

The score remained that way until the fifth. Justin Seager doubled halfway up the wall in center, and one out later, Ian Miller scored Seager with an RBI single to left.

Finnegan lasted six and allowed just the lone run in the fifth.

The final three innings for both teams were up to the bullpens. And nobody could hold a lead.

Down 2-1 in the eighth, Jack Reinheimer had a home run taken away from him on a leaping catch by Powell in left-center. Austin Wilson followed with a double off the base of the wall and after Marcus Littlewood was robbed by Powell - who banged up against the fence grabbing the second out - DeCarlo drilled an RBI triple to the warning track in right. Beloit right fielder Tyler Marincov couldn't hang on to DeCarlo's drive on a diving attempt, tying the game, 2-2. Tyler Vail was credited with a blown save - the first of four in the game.

Beloit (24-31) regained the lead in the bottom half against Clinton's Seon Gi Kim. Mercedes tripled to right opening the frame, and Jaycob Brugman gave the Snappers a 3-2 lead with an RBI double again to Wilson.

Snappers closer Andres Avila opened the ninth with two strikeouts of Jeff Zimmerman and Seager, but Zach Shank extended the game, bunting for a base hit. Ian Miller then fell behind Avila 0-2 and grounded to second baseman Chih-Fang Pan. But Pan bobbled the chopper, and after seeing Miller would be safe at first, he attempted to throw out Shank moving from first to third. His throw skipped past Luis Baez and Shank raced home to tie the game at three.

Pan's two errors on one play gave Clinton new life. Following a check swing infield single by Reinheimer, Wilson blooped an RBI single over B.A. Vollmuth at first base giving Clinton their first lead, 4-3.

But like Avila, Clinton closer Emilio Pagan couldn't hold a one-run lead. Pagan allowed two singles before walking Mercedes, loading the base s. Pagan then struck out Brugman for the second out but walked Marincov on five pitches, knotting the game at four. It appeared Pagan would walk in the winning run after falling behind Vollmuth 3- 0, but the right-hander battled back with three straight strikes, sending the game to extras.

Beloit Manager Rick Magnante stuck with Avila (1-3) in the tenth, and DeCarlo wasted no time, giving Clinton another one-run lead with a towering solo home run to left.

Unlike Magnante, Clinton Manager Scott Steinmann yanked Pagan and brought on Aaron Brooks (2-1) in the bottom of the tenth. Pan singled on the first pitch of the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Baez. B.J. Boyd then singled over DeCarlo into left, moving Pan to third. Moments later, the Snappers tied the game on a Phil Pohl suicide squeeze.

Up came Boog Powell, already 3-for-4 with a walk. Powell grounded a high bouncer to Zimmerman at first and Powell - credited with an infield single on the play - slid head first into the bag ahead of Brooks covering. But in the process, Zimmerman's throw was too tall for the 6'6" Brooks. Boyd never stopped running from second, giving the Snappers a walk-off win on Clinton's single game season-high fourth error.

DeCarlo extended his hitting streak to six games going 3-for-5, falling a double shy of the cycle. Wilson also went 3-for-5 but it wasn't enough for Clinton who continued their slide down the MWL Western Division standings. Both Peoria (5-3 over Kane County) and Quad Cities (4-3 over Wisconsin) were victorious, knocking the LumberKings 2.5 games out of the wild card with 14 first-half games remaining.

Clinton will take on Beloit Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 2:00 PM CT. The LumberKings will send Eddie Campbell (3 -3, 4.94) to the mound against Beloit righty Dylan Covey (3-3, 3.88). The game can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, wcciradio.com, and lumberkings.com.

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