Snappers fall short, lose 6-5 to Cedar Rapids

The Snappers lacked one final late-game rally and fell 6-5 to Cedar Rapids in the first game of the series Sunday afternoon. 

Beloit rallied from deficits twice in the game but its ninth inning comeback bid ultimatelly fell short. Snappers' batters singled twice with two outs but Chih-Fang Pan was unable to drive in his fourth run of the drive, lining out to shortstop to end the game. 

The Snappers were in good position to pick up the win in the seventh inning, leading 5-4 but miscues were too much to overcome. The Kernels capitalized on a throwing error by Sam Roberts to score the tying run and Bryan Haar hit a solo shot home run to give Cedar Rapids the final 6-5 advantage. 

Starting pitcher Lou Trivino was unable to pitch a third consecutive one-run performance for the Snappers, as he only lasted four innings, giving up seven hits and four earned runs. 

The Kernels were able to get to Trivino quickly in the first inning, as a Chad Christensen RBI single gave Cedar Rapids the early lead. 

The Snappers answered in the bottom of the frame, as they tacked on three runs of their own. Beloit loaded the bases with no outs and proceeded to score all three runners on a pair of sacrifice flies and a double from Chih-Fang Pan. 

Leading 3-1, the Snappers weren't able to perserve their advantage for long, however, as the Kernels tied up the game in the next inning. 

Jason Kanzler led off the frame with a solo shot home run to center field to cut the deficit in half. The home run was Kanzler's fifth of the season and marks the tenth straight game in which he has recorded a hit. JD Williams provided the tying hit and his single sent Bo Altobelli home and tied the game 3-3 in the second inning. 

The Kernels took the lead in the fourth inning off a Engelb Vielma double that scored Kanzler, but the Snappers escaped the inning without giving up any more runs. Cedar Rapids had runners on second and third with one out, but weren't able to increase its lead. 

The Snappers answered once again in the fifth inning as Pan delivered with a 2-run double to score Boog Powell and Melvin Mercedes and take a 5-4 lead. 

Behind two no-hit innings of pitching by reliever Junior Mendez, the Snappers were able to hold their lead until the seventh inning. After Mendez was replaced by Matt Stalcup, the Kernels turned Robert's throwing error into the tying run and hit a home run in the next inning to take the final lead.

The Snappers return to action Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in their second game against Cedar Rapids.