MWL1 Beloit Sky Carp

Snappers Split Important Double Header

Published on June 14, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Beloit Sky Carp News Release


BELOIT, WI - The Snappers have the chance to snag a playoff spot right as they're only 2.0 games of grabbing the Midwest League Western Division Wild Card coming into today's games. The Cedar Rapids Kernels came in to town to try to spoil Beloit's chances as the Snappers only have seven games remaining. The starting pitchers were the deciding factor in both games and the Snappers and Kernels split the DH.

In Game One, Kernels starter Brian Diemer rolled through the Snappers line-up, only allowing one run on two hits over six innings pitched. He's now 6-4 on the year with a 3.44 ERA. The only hits the Snappers managed were off the bats of Midwest League All-Star Michael Gonzales, who singled in the fourth inning and Lance Ray, who hit his 15th double of the year in the fifth inning.

Offensively, the Kernels (30-35), they scored two runs in the third inning off of starter Manuel Soliman, who only allowed two earned runs over five innings. Ricky Alvarez' two-run single in the third proved to be the only offense they needed to win. Even so, they tacked on a run in the 7th thanks to a Blayne Weller wild pitch with David Harris batting.

Ryan O'Rourke took matters in to his own hands from the first inning in Game Two. He bulldozed through Kernels hitters for five innings to pick up his first win of the year. He threw five innings, allowed only three hits, struck out eight and walked none. He lowered his team-leading ERA to 1.66.

The only runs in the game came in the fourth and fifth innings when the Snappers scored two in each inning. Even with the three errors Cedar Rapids committed, the Snappers pounded out eight hits including six off of starter Justin La Tempa (2-4, 3.97 ERA).

In the fourth, Midwest League All-Star Daniel Ortiz smoked a double to right field to score Nate Roberts who got on base from his Midwest League leading 21st hit by pitch. Lance Ray then singled to score Michael Gonzalez. In the fifth, the Snappers finished the scoring and sealed the win with RBI singles from Daniel Santana and Nate Roberts. The Snappers are now 34-31 on the season and are currently 2.5 games out of a playoff spot behind the Quad Cities River Bandits.

The "Brodie Trophy Player of the Game" for Game One goes to Lance Ray who finished 1-for-3 with the only extra-base hit for the Snappers in the fifth inning when he doubled off of Brian Diemer.

The "Brodie Trophy Players of the Game" for the nightcap goes to Ryan O'Rourke and Daniel Ortiz. O'Rourke picked up his first win of the season, dominating the Cedar Rapids offense for five innings. Ortiz was 2-for-3 on the night with his team-leading 22nd and 23rd doubles on the season. His average sits at .284.

The Snappers and Kernels continue their four-game series tomorrow night at Pohlman Field starting at 7:00 PM. It will be Hump Day Happy Hour at the ballpark which means Sodas and 12oz drafts of Miller products will be $2 thanks to Pepsi and Ott-Schweitzer Distributing. Fans cal also head to the Firehouse Grill for Snappy's newest favorites, the "Buffalo Chicken Dog," and the "Nacho Chicken Dog," which are sold for just $3.

The Beloit Snappers are a member of the Midwest League and a Class-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. For ticket information, contact the Snappers office at 608-362-2272 or visit the website at www.snappersbaseball.com.

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Midwest League Stories from June 14, 2011


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