BELOIT, WI - A new rule got a work out Thursday night at Pohlman Field. The Beloit Snappers defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-3 in eleven innings in the first use of the new extra-innings rule for Minor League Baseball. The game was the season opener for both teams.Pat McInerney
BELOIT, WI - A new rule got a work out Thursday night at Pohlman Field. The Beloit Snappers defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-3 in eleven innings in the first use of the new extra-innings rule for Minor League Baseball. The game was the season opener for both teams.
Pat McInerney gave the Timber Rattlers (0-1) the early lead with a lead-off home run in the top of the second inning. McInerney blasted a 3-1 pitch from Beloit starter Jean Ruiz just to the left of the batter's eye in center.
The Snappers (1-0) rallied to tie the game in the third inning. Mickey McDonald doubled with one out. Nick Allen followed with a single to center and McDonald scored to even the score.
The Wisconsin combination of Joantgel Segovia and Payton Henry combined to put Wisconsin back in front in the fifth inning. Segovia started the inning with a bunt single. Henry followed with a fly ball that banged off the wall in center for a double to score Segovia with the Rattlers second run.
Beloit had the answer in the bottom of the fifth. Jake Lumley and McDonald had back-to-back singles with one out to put runners on the corners. Allen was next and he lined a double to the gap in left-center. Lumley scored easily, but McDonald was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Both starting pitchers left after five innings. Bowden Francis struck out three, walked none, and scattered six hits for the Rattlers. Jean Ruiz struck out seven, walked one, and allowed four hits.
Carlos Herrera, who relieved Francis to start the sixth inning, got into a jam in the seventh after issuing a leadoff walk and a double. Herrera got the next batter on a line drive back to the mound. Then, Wisconsin elected to walk McDonald intentionally to set up a double play. Herrera escaped the inning by retiring Allen and Austin Beck on popups to keep the score even.
The game remained tied through nine innings which led to the first use of the new minor league rule of placing a runner on second base to start each extra inning.
The Rattlers got the first crack as Trever Morrison started at second. Tristen Lutz bunted Morrison to third base, but he was still at third base with two outs and a 3-2 count on Demi Orimoloye. But, Snappers reliever Logan Salow balked before throwing the payoff pitch to let Morrison score and the Rattlers took the lead.
Beloit started the tenth with Jake Lumley at second base and McDonald bunted him to third base. Reliever Rodrigo Benoit would throw a wild pitch to let McDonald in and the game was tied again.
In the eleventh, McInerney started at second and Gilbert Lara was asked to bunt him over to third. But, the bunt went back to the mound and McInerney was caught in a rundown before being tagged out. The Rattlers did not score.
Beloit began their half of the eleventh with pinch-runner Jack Meggs at second base. Skyler Weber dropped a bunt up the third base line for a single. A wild throw to first base went down the line to allow Meggs to score the winning run.
Game two of the series at Pohlman Field is scheduled for Friday night. Nelson Hernández is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The Snappers have named Wyatt Marks as their starter. Game time is 6:30pm.
The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:10. The broadcast is also available on the TuneIn Radio and IHeartRadio apps.
