Snappers ambush Lugnuts, 11-1

Mitch Nay went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, scoring the Lugnuts' only run. (Tyler Marcotte)

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

July 12, 2017

LANSING, Mich. - The Beloit Snappers (10-10, 42-47) greeted the debuting Kyle Weatherly with a six-run first inning, serving up an 11-1 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (6-14, 43-43) in the Wednesday night opener of a three-game series at Cooley Law School Stadium.The game marked the start of second-half interdivision play, pitting the

LANSING, Mich. - The Beloit Snappers (10-10, 42-47) greeted the debuting Kyle Weatherly with a six-run first inning, serving up an 11-1 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (6-14, 43-43) in the Wednesday night opener of a three-game series at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The game marked the start of second-half interdivision play, pitting the Eastern Division against the Western Division in the first of 12 straight games.

Weatherly (Loss, 0-1), the Blue Jays' 2016 8th-round selection, faced 11 batters, recording two outs and allowing eight base hits - including a Kyle Nowlin three-run homer - and six runs, five earned.

It was the start of an all-around successful evening for the visitors, and the opposite for the hosts. The Lugnuts committed four errors, three by third baseman Mattingly Romanin , leading to three total unearned runs.

Juliandry Higuera pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief of Weatherly, allowing three runs (one earned). Connor Eller handled the next three innings, giving up one run. Andrew Deramo allowed a solo tally in the eighth, and Nick Hartman pitched a scoreless ninth.

Beloit third baseman Trace Loehr went 4-for-6 to lead an 18-hit attack. All nine of the Snappers plus substitute Josh Vidales hit safely, with Vidales taking over for Jesus Lopez in the eighth inning.

The Lugnuts' sole run was scored in the sixth inning against Snappers reliever Seth Martinez(Win, 2-4), thanks to a Yeltsin Gudino grounder scoring Mitch Nay .

Martinez tossed five innings in all, giving up five hits, walking one and striking out three. He followed Snappers starter Miguel Romero, who pitched three scoreless innings.

Mitchell Jordan pitched the bottom of the ninth in perfect order, ending the game.

In defeat, both first baseman Nay and Lugs DH Luis Silva went 2-for-4 with a single and a double for Lansing.

The second game of the six-game homestand is set for 7:05 p.m. on a Labatt Thirsty Thursday: $2 beers/sodas and half off craft beers! Gates open at 6 p.m., with Lugnuts right-hander Mike Ellenbest (6.57) taking on Beloit left-hander Kyle Twomey (7.45). Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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