Fifth, Eighth Innings Down Snappers Against Chiefs

Jesus Lage's two-run home run to get the scoring started wasn't enough as the Beloit Snappers (65-66) fell 10-2 to the Peoria Chiefs (75-57) Sunday afternoon at Dozer Park.

The Snappers got the scoring started first for the 60^th time this season. Both starters were solid and locked in, but in the top of the fifth, Chiefs starter Zach Prendergast left his first pitch to Lage over the heart of the plate and Lage sent it out to deep center. His hit scored Robert Mullen, who collected his first hit as a Snapper right before, to make it a 2-0 lead for Beloit. For Lage, it was his second homer of the season.
The lead didn't last long, as Peoria benefited from four singles, three of them that scored runs, and two walks off Snappers starter Bryce Conley in the bottom of the fifth to jump ahead to a 4-2 lead. Chiefs Justin Toerner, who went 4-for-4 on the day with two RBI, provided an RBI single and Andres Luna plated two runs on a single.
After the Chiefs tacked on another run in the seventh, they exploded for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to rip the game wide open. Luna plated two more runs on a single, finishing with four RBI on the day, another RBI single from Toerner, and two sac flies doomed the Snappers to a 10-2 deficit.
Beloit went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, ending with a Miguel Mercedes strikeout.
Conley took his seventh loss of the season, going five complete, surrendering four and striking out three.
Jesus Zambrano relieved Conley first, going two complete innings and allowing the run in the seventh. Joseph Camacho came on to pitch the eighth but couldn't record an out in the five batters he faced and gave up all five runs. Slater Lee finished off the eighth scoreless.
Prendergast hung on for the victory in his six innings, striking out six Snappers in the process. C.J. Saylor pitched the final three innings in relief, striking out four and not yielding a single hit.
It was just the 19^th time this season the Snappers have lost a game they had the lead first in. With the loss, the Snappers have now won just eight of their last 16 series and the best they can do in this four-game series is earn a split with a win tomorrow.
Monday will be the conclusion of the originally scheduled four-game series between the Snappers and Chiefs. Climbing the rubber for the Snappers to start will be right-hander Jean Ruiz (5-11, 4.45). Closing it out for the Chiefs will be right-hander Angel Rondon (3-2, 2.96).
The Beloit Snappers are a member of the Midwest League and have been the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics since 2013. For more ticket information, contact the Snappers office at (608) 362-2272 or on our website, www.snappersbaseball.com.
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                                                                                                Contact: Eric Hall, Media Relations Manager
(608) 362-2272
(434) 944-9081
[email protected]