Snappers Open Series With 4-2 Victory

The Beloit Snappers (25-27) battled hard in a 4-2 comeback victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits (30-25) in game one of a three-game series.

Snappers second baseman Trace Loehr delivered a go-ahead RBI single to left field in the eighth inning to score Jordan Devencenzi to take a 3-2 lead. In the ninth, Lazaro Armenteros padded the lead with an RBI double to score Mickey McDonald to up the Snappers lead to 4-2.
With the Snappers trailing 2-1 in the fifth and Snappers first baseman Hunter Hargrove batting, Nick Allen came home to score on an error from Bandits catcher Ruben Castro to tie the game. Castro was attempting to throw out Armenteros, who stole second, as his throw trickled into center field.
The River Bandits jumped out a quick 2-0 lead after the first two innings. Corey Julks singled home Jacob Meyers in the first and Jonathan Arauz singled home Bryan De La Cruz in the second inning.
Ivan Andueza started for the Snappers, going five innings with five strikeouts and surrendered just the two earned runs in the first two innings. After inconsistencies in the first two innings, Andueza settled down and kept the River Bandits off the scoreboard.
Ty Damron pitched two innings after Andueza, earning the win his third of the year. Jesus Zambrano pitched a two inning save, his second save of the season, in two innings of relief and four strikeouts.
Jesus Lopez doubled home Devencenzi in the fourth to get the Snappers their first run of the game. His double gave the Snappers at least one extra-base hit in 36 of their last 38 games.
In the fourth inning with one out, Devencenzi lined a single to left field, raising his hit streak to 16 games. He surpassed Hunter Hargrove for the team high on the season and over the streak, he is batting .351 with eight RBI, eight runs, five doubles and just six strikeouts.
Armenteros went 2-for-5, his fifth multi-hit game with the Snappers and he has now hit safely in 17 of his 26 games played this season with the Snappers.
The Snappers will pick up game two of this series Saturday night. Game two is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and pitching for the Snappers will be right-hander Wyatt Marks (3-4, 4.13). The River Bandits will send out right-hander Loevany Rodriguez (2-0, 0.64).
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.