Snappers Bats Go Silent In 5-1 Loss

Beloit, WI - Five hits and 14 strikeouts later, the Beloit Snappers (28-32) were on the wrong end of a 5-1 loss to the Burlington Bees (26-35).

Snappers right-handed starter Wyatt Marks got off on the wrong foot and the team never recovered. In a disastrous first inning, the Bees erupted for all five of their runs on five hits and a walk.
Bees leadoff hitter Leonardo Rivas, on the third pitch he saw, turned a pitch that quickly got over the right field fence for a lead-off home run. Three batters later, Julio Garcia launched a two-run homer in the same spot as Rivas and after a two-run double from Connor Fitzsimons the game was broken open.
The MVPs of the contest go to the Bees pitching staff. Starter Denny Brady, in his first game of the season, pitched two scoreless innings. Jorge Tavarez struck out four of his six batters faced, and Isaac Mattson earned the win in five innings of three hit ball and seven strikeouts.
As a staff, the Bees struck out 15 batters and issued just three walks. No Snapper has more than one hit and each Snapper struck out at least once.
Coming in, the Snappers were in fifth place in the Western division of the Midwest League, trailing the Peoria Chiefs.
Marks finished with five innings pitched and settled down after the first. Right-hander Adam Reuss and left-hander Ty Damron combined for four scoreless innings and five strikeouts, but the Snappers lack of offense didn't help their efforts.
A Jesus Lopez RBI single in the seventh brought home Logan Farrar for the Snappers lone run. Lopez has now hit in 23 of his last 33 games.
The Snappers failed to record an extra-base hit in their second straight game and just the third time in the last 42 games.
The Snappers will resume their four-game weekend series Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Right-hander Xavier Altamirano (3-2, 3.30) is on the bump for the Snappers. He will be opposed by Bee's right-hander Oliver Ortega (2-1, 2.84).  
Saturday night is the first fireworks show of the 2018 season, presented by West Bend Mutual.
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.