Snappers like Loons, win 7-5

Great Lakes 5 at Beloit 7

W: S. Hirschfeld (7-3, 3.25); L: T. Melgarejo (2-5, 4.02); SV: B. Martin (2)
HR: GLL: B. Taylor (5).

The Beloit Snappers found the Great Lakes Loons rather to their liking as they took a 7-5 win over the visitors at Pohlman Field Monday night in game that featured a combined 27 hits by both teams.

Steve Hirschfled took the start for the Snappers, allowing 4 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks while fanning 3 in 5.2 innings. Beloit would get to Great Lakes' Thomas Melgarejo first however, snagging pair of runs in the first inning off the Dogers' affiliate.

With a pair of outs on the board, Yangervis Solarte singled and was doubled in by Rene Leveret. A wild pitch by Melgarejo moved Leveret to 3rd and a fielding error by Eduardo Perez allowed Mark Dolenc to reach and Leveret to score before Juan Richardson ground into a force out to end the inning.

Perez would single for the Loons in the top of the second, and Jaime Ortiz doubled. Kenley Johnson's ground out served to score Perez. After a fly out to Preston Mattingly, Brandon Taylor went yard to give Great Lakes a 3-2 lead.

The Snappers tie it up in the bottom of the 2nd when Chris Cates singled, moved to second on a Andrew Schmiesing single and came home on Jeanfred Brito's grounder to center.

They would extend their league in the bottom of the 3rd with Leveret and Dolenc both singling. Richardson hit into a force out which, combined with a throwing error Mattingly allowed Leveret to score. Allan de San Miguel doubled in Richardson and Cates singled to drive in Dirty.

The next couple of innings would be quiet. In the top of the sixth, Mattingly singled with a pair of outs on the board. A wild pitch by Hirschfeld put Mattingly on second and Taylor doubled him in. Parker Dalton would walk, and Snappers field manager Nelson Prada took a walk out to the mound, calling Charles Nolte in from the Snappers bullpen.

The top of the 8th saw Kenley Jansen double off Nolte and be replaced by pinch runner Jovanny Rosario. After Mattingly went down on strikes, Taylor singled to score Rosario, helped in part by Dolenc's fielding error. Dalton would go down on strikes and Prada called for another pitching change, putting Blake Martin on the mound.

The Snappers took the run back in the bottom of the eighth, with Dolenc singling, then moving to 3rd on Richardson's ground out. Dirty singled to score Dolenc. He'd try to get to second but would be tagged out at the base.

Melgarejo worked only 3 innings for Great Lakes before giving way to Miguel Sanfler, who finished the contest. Melgarejo still took the loss however, while Hirshfeld improved to 7-3 on the season.

Solarte, Leveret, Dolenc and Dirty were all 2-for-4, Solarte with a run, Leveret with a double, a pair of runs and a run scored, Dolenc and Dirty each with a run and Dirty with a double and a pair of RBIs as well. Cates was 3-for-4 with a run and a RBI. Brito finished up 1-for-4 with a RBI, and Schmiesing was 1-for-3, as the contest's one hit wonder.

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From MiLB.com:

THE SEASON SO FAR: The Snappers are 17-17 in the second half and in fourth place in the Western Division.

WHO'S HOT: OF Ben Revere tied for sixth among league batting leaders last week, hitting .429 (9-for-21) with three RBIs and two runs scored in five games. In 69 games this season he's batting .399 (113-for-283) with 17 doubles, nine triples, 39 RBIs and 42 runs scored.

WHO'S NOT: LHP Michael Tarsi dropped to 4-11 with a 5.67 ERA after being tagged with a pair of losses last week. In 21 games (including 20 starts) he has allowed 84 runs (71 earned) on 151 hits (including 12 home runs) over 112 2/3 innings.

OLYMPIC GLORY: RHP Loek Van Mil left the team last week to represent his country -- the Netherlands -- in next month's Beijing Olympic Games. Van Mil (2-2, 3.22 ERA) is not expected to return to the Snappers until the last week of the season.

DID YOU KNOW: The 7-foot-1 Van Mil has struck out 42 batters while issuing 25 walks in 28 relief appearances. He was signed by the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in 2005. He and 5-foot-3 teammate Chris Cates are the tallest and shortest players in baseball.

ROSTER MOVES: RHP Shooter Hunt, the Twins' supplemental first-round pick and the 31st overall selection in the June Draft, joined the Snappers last week after going 0-0 with a 0.47 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 19 innings for the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins. He struck out nine batters in his debut against Wisconsin on Saturday.

IF Yangervis Solarte was received from Class A Advanced Fort Myers to fill Van Mil's roster spot. In 42 games with the Miracle, he hit .259 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

The Elizabethton Twins had Tuesday off. They return to work on Wednesday as they travel to Greeneville to face the Astros.

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Snappers win one of three

Saturday: Beloit 0 at Wisconsin 1

W: J. Wild (5-6, 3.67); L: S. Hunt (0-1, 1.80); SV: J. Dunbar (2)
HR: None.

Shooter Hunt made his debut with the Beloit Snappers on Saturday despite giving up only 1 run on 3 hits and a pair of walks, he simply was not good enough as the Snappers could muster no offense against Wisconsin's Jake Wild.

A walk to Alex Liddi, and a pair of back-to-back singles to Juan Diaz and Blake Ochoa put the Timber Rattlers on the board in the second inning.

Hunt struck out 9, but continued to show some of the control issues that plagued him in his collage career by hitting Daniel Carroll with a pitch in the bottom of the fifth. Carroll would then steal 2nd and progress to 3rd on a wild pitch. Happily, there were two outs already on the board and Hunt was able to get Denny Almonte out on strikes to prevent another Rattler's run.

Beloit never really threatened and could not advance a runner past second in the game.

Blake Martin worked two innings of relief, fanning four, while Nolte pitched the 8th, striking out just one.

Two of the Snappers five hits were by designated hitter Chris Cates, who was 2-for-4 on the night. Mark Dolenc and Rene Leveret were both 1-for-4 while Andrew Schmiesing was 1-for-3.

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Sunday: Beloit 4 at Wisconsin 8

The Wisconsin Timber-Rattlers doubled up the Beloit Snappers in the resumption of the game that was suspended on July 7.

In the first inning, Deibinson Romero and Ozzie Lewis had both singled. A third single, to Rene Leveret scored Romero to put Beloit on the board in the top of the first.

Wisconsin answered back in the bottom of the second with Joseph Dunigan tripling in Ron Garth, who had singled his way onto base. A wild pitch by starter Steve Hirschfeld allowed Dunigan to cross the plate as well, putting Wisconsin on top.

In the resumption of the game, Juan Richardson would replace Romero and Yangervis Solarte would replace Lewis as the two original players were injured during the intervening time. Michael Allen would also replace Steve Hirschfeld on the mound.

The bottom of the third saw Maximo Mendez take a single from Allen, then steal 2nd base. Edilio Colina hit into a sac bunt which, combined with a Allen throwing error scored Mendez. Diaz would reach on a another throwing error by Allen, which allowed Colina to score. Following a fly out to Denny Almonte, Ron Garth reached on a fielder's choice that failed when Estarlin De Los Santos mis-threw the ball. Dunigan then doubled to plate the two runners before Liddi would be taken out on strikes. Joe White would line out to end the inning with the score 6-1.

Chris Cates took a walk in the top of the six. Richardson would pop out but a Solarte single moved Cates to 2nd. Leveret then doubled him in to give the Snappers their second run.

Wisconsin answered back with Liddi walking and White singling. Blake Ochoe would be called out on strikes before Chris Anderson came in to replace Allen. He'd get Mendez to fly out to center, a play that moved Liddi to 3rd, and then gave up a single to Colina that scored the Wisconsin runner.

With Danny Hernandez on the mound in the bottom of the 8th, Liddi doubled and White walked. Ochoa would fly out but Mendez drew a walk to load the bags. Colina ground in to a force out that scored Liddi, giving the T-Rattlers 8.

A last ditch effort by the Snappers saw Mark Dolenc walk off Robert Harmon. Allan de San Miguel and Andrew Schmiesing then hit back-to-back doubles to scored two. That would be all the Snappers would get though despite a single to Cates that moved Schmiesing to 3rd.

Hirschfield would take the loss, his fifth of the season. Leveret was 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a pair of RBIs. Dirty and Schmiesing were both 1-for-4 with a double, Dirty with the run, Schmiesing with a pair of RBIs. Cates was also 1-for-4, but with a single, a walk and a run.

Solarte and De Lo were both 1-for-3, De Lo with a walk, Romero and Lewis were each 1-for-1, Romero with a run, and Jeanfred Brito was 1-for-5. Dolenc finished up 0-for-3 but with a walk and a run.

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Sunday: Beloit 3 at Wisconsin 1

The Beloit Snappers finally found a win, dropping the Timber Rattlers 3-1 in extra innings during Sunday's second game.

Brian McCardell and Edward Paredes would both work 7 scoreless innings for the their respective teams.

Beloit would get on the board in the 8th with Mark Dolenc tripling off Parades. Andrew Schmiesing then reached on a fielding error by catcher Isreal Nunez that plated Dolenc.

The Rattlers answered back right away, with Alex Liddi reaching on a throwing error by Jeanfred Brito. After a fly out to Denny Almonte, Juan Diaz doubled to plate Liddi tying the game.

The top of the 10th would see Rene Leveret singling and Mark Dolenc doubling. A throwing error by catcher Isreal Nunez brought Dolenc home as well, giving the Snappers an insurance run.

Blake Martin pick up the win, working the last 1.2 innings. Santos Arias gave up the lone T-Rattler's run, unearned on 2 hits and walk in 1.1 innings.

Cates and Dolenc were both 2-for-4, Dolenc with a double and a triple, a pair of runs and a RBI.

Estarlin De Lost Santos, Leveret and Yersich were each 1-for-4, Leveret with a run.

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Beloit is now 18-18 on the season, in fourth place in the 8-team Western division, 3 games behind division leading Peoria.

Pitching staff faulters against T-Rattlers

Wisconsin 12 at Beloit 6

W: E. Paredes (6-9, 4.76); L: S. Arias (5-4, 3.44)
HR: None.

Santos Arias would give up 5 runs, earned on 8 hits and walk, striking out 2, and would not make it out of the fifth inning, as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers bit the Beloit Snappers for a 12-6 win.

Beloit would take an early lead with Jeanfred Brito doubling and Chris Cates singling off Rattler's starter Edward Paredes. Ben Revere then doubled Brito in, while a Juan Richardson single would plate Cates. Mark Dolenc ground out, scoring Revere. Solarte would ground out as well, and Allan De San Miguel struck out end the inning.

Things were looking good, early on.

Maximon Mendez singled in the top of the 3rd, and moved to 3rd on a Daniel Carroll fly ball single to right. Carroll then stole 2nd. Edilio Colina sacrificed in Mendez, but Carroll would be left stranded when Denny Almonte ground out.

Joseph Dunigan singled with one out in the top of the fourth, then stole 2nd. Juan Diaz took a walk, and Joe White singled to plate Dunigan. Isreal Nunez would be hit by a pitch, but Mendez popped out and Carroll ground out to prevent Wisconsin from tying the game.

Sadly, they'd do more than tie. Colina and Almonte took back-to-back singles off Arias before Liddi went down on strikes. Dunigan singled in Colina, which also lead to a pitch change. Henry Reyes would take over for Arias. Dunigan would steal 2nd then move to 3rd on a balk. Diaz singled him in and advanced to second on another balk. Joe White took a walk before Danny Hernandez was brought in to try to stop the Rattlers. He'd walk Nunez and Mendez, forcing in a run, and hit Carrol with a pitch to bring in another. Colina would pop out, but a wild pitch scored Nunez. Hernandez then walked Almonte before getting Liddi out on strikes.

Revere would single then steal 2nd, advancing to 3rd on a throwing error by Dunigan. A fielding error by Diaz allowed Juan Richardson to reach and Revere to score, but the game was 8-4 in favor of Wisconsin.

The teams exchanged sixth inning runs with Joe White singling in Diaz, and Brito tripling in De Lo. Wisconsin would lose Dunigan to an injury, but it did not stop the Rattlers offense.

Chris Anderson would allow a single to Meneses in the top of the 8th, and Diaz would reach on Anderson's throwing error during a force attempt. White and Nunez both singled to plate the pair, and Mendez would be hit by a pitch to load the bags. Carroll would walk to force in a run before Colina ground into a double play that took Nunez out at home. Almonte then ground out to retire the Snappers.

Cates, Revere and Richardson would all single in the bottom of the ninth, to give the Snappers one more run, but Dolenc would fly out and Solarte ground into a force out to end the contest.

Revere was 4-for-4 with a walk, a pair of runs, and a RBI to lead the Snappers offense. Brito, Cates and Richardson were all 2-for-5 with Brito taking a run and an RBI, Cates a pair of runs, and Richardson 3 runs scored. De Lo was 1-for-4 with a run to round out the hitting.

The Midwest League takes a day off on Tuesday. The Snappers head over to Indiana to take on the South Bend Silverhawks on Wednesday for a 3-game set. First pitch is set of 7:00 PM.

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The Snappers lost more than just the game, as Ozzie Lewis was moved onto the DL with a wrist injury that has been bothering him all season. Drafted by the Twins in the 21st round of the 2007 draft, Lewis was named Appalachian League Player of the Year last season while a member of the Elizabethton Twins. Ozzie earned the award after hitting .323 with 18 doubles, nine home runs and 50 RBIs.

He has hit just .214 with four homers and 23 RBIs in 59 games for the Snappers this season, while trying to play through the nagging injury. (Snappers)