Early Offense Springboards LumberKings To Season High Ninth Straight Win
Beloit, WI - Looking for their season high ninth straight win, the LumberKings offense got on the board early, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Nick Neidert, Pablo Lopez, and Lukas Schiraldi combined to hold the Snappers to just two runs, as Clinton (81-46, 42-15) downed Beloit (53-73, 21-36) 4-2 to win their ninth straight and their 17th in their last 18.
The LumberKings wasted no time getting to Angel Duno in the top of the first. Duno got the first two men he faced, but Dalton Kelly reached on a single through the right side to keep the inning alive. Logan Taylor then walked, and Gus Craig rolled one just past the glove of second baseman Trent Gilbert into right center field for a hit, scoring Kelly to get the LumberKings on the board.
Beloit had a chance to respond as Trace Loehr doubled off the center field wall to start the bottom of the first. Nick Neidert though bore down and got Luis Barrera to strike out, Trent Gilbert to fly out, and Brett Siddall to ground out in order to end the inning.
Clinton would use the long ball to add onto the lead in the second. Conner Hale smacked a single up the middle to start the inning, bringing up Arturo Nieto. The LumberKings catcher blasted a ball deep to right that just carried the wall, marking his second home run of the season and extending the lead to 3-0. Nieto finished the night 3 for 4 and finished a triple short of the cycle.
However, Nick Neidert would run into some trouble in the bottom of the second. Neidert would issue a leadoff walk to Skye Bolt. Justin Higley then singled to right, and Ryan Howell walked to load the bases. Jesus Lopez then hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but a run scored to cut the LumberKings lead to 3-1. Neidert would then get Jose Chavez to pop out to end the inning.
The LumberKings would add a key piece of insurance in the fourth, as Ricky Eusebio corked a ball over the left center field fence to start the fourth inning, extending the lead to 4-1. For Eusebio, it was his sixth home run of the year and his second blast against Beloit.
Neidert would exit after four innings, and give way to Pablo Lopez (6-0) for the fifth. Lopez surrendered a leadoff double tp Ryan Howell, which came home on a two out single from Trace Loehr, making it 4-2 LumberKings. Loehr though was caught stealing second to end the inning, and Lopez would retire the sides in order in the sixth and the seventh, leaving the game in the hands of Lukas Schiraldi.
In the eighth, Schiraldi allowed two one out singlesto Jose Chavez and Trace Loehr, but got Luis Barrera and Trent Gilbert to strike out swinging to end the inning. Schiraldi got the side in order in the ninth to register his first career save.
The LumberKings go for their tenth win in a row tomorrow as they play the second game of their four game series against the Snappers. Nick Wells goes for Clinton, while Dustin Hurlbutt takes the ball for Beloit. First pitch is at 7 PM, with the Iowa Pork Producers Pregame Show hitting the airwaves of WCCI 100.3 FM at 6:45 PM. You can also listen to the game online at www.lumberkings.com.