Lage's Blast Puts Snappers Ahead For Good In 5-3 Win

The Beloit Snappers (57-52) held a lead from the second inning onwards in their 5-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (59-52) Saturday night at Perfect Game Field.

Tied 2-2 in the top of the second and with Ryan Gridley on base, Snappers third baseman Jesus Lage clubbed his first homer of the season. His hit made it 4-2 Snappers and they never looked back.
Lage's homer also gave the Snappers at least one extra-base hit in 37 of their last 42 games.
Then in the top of the sixth with Beloit leading 4-3, Jack Meggs launched his sixth homer of the season to left to pad on an insurance run and make it 5-3.
Snappers starter Ivan Andueza notched his second win of the season, snapping a streak of four consecutive losses. Andueza pitched six complete innings, allowing six hits, three runs and striking out five batters.
The Snappers got the scoring started in the first inning. With Austin Beck and Hunter Hargrove on second and first, respectively, Miguel Mercedes singled home Beck to make it 1-0. For Mercedes, he now has a hit in each of the four games since returning to the Snappers on June 30^th.
Meggs would bring home Hargrove shortly after on a sac fly and after the first inning, it was 2-0 Snappers on top.
The Kernels, coming into the day in first place in the Western division of the Midwest League in the second half, tied it up in the bottom of the first. Ryan Jeffers doubled home Akil Baddoo, followed by Ben Rodriguez doubling home Jeffers to make it 2-2.
The Kernels would cut the deficit to one with a Ben Rodriguez sac fly in the third to make the Snappers lead at 4-3.
The Snappers continued their impressive series openers this season, moving to 20-12 on the season in series opening games. Overall, the Snappers have won 20 of their last 29 games.
Game two of this three-game series will pick back up at 2:05 in the afternoon tomorrow. It will be right-hander Mitchell Jordan (5-2, 2.23) taking on hill for the Snappers. He will be opposed by Kernels right-hander Jhoan Duran (6-4, 4.27).
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.