Snappers Hold Off Quad Cities to Force Game 3

BELOIT, WI - Christopher Bostick banged out three hits, including a two-run homer, and four relievers combined for five and one-third innings of scoreless ball as the Beloit Snappers slipped by the Quad Cities River Bandits, 4-3, in the second game of their Midwest League playoff series on Sunday night at Pohlman Field as 257 looked on.

This win means these teams have split the first two games of this series and will square off in a winner take all Game Three on Monday night.

Bostick got the Snappers on the board right off the bat, as his two-run blast in the first inning supplied the early lead. Beloit got another run in the first on three straight singles, the final one by Brett Vertigan, which scored Renato Nunez.

The River Bandits quickly got back into the game in the second. A pair of walks in the frame put two on and consecutive singles by Brian Blasik and Anthony Kemp each tallied runs, slashing the lead to 3-2.

The Snappers got a run back in the second on an RBI single by Bostick, but Quad Cities moved back to within one in the fourth when Teoscar Hernandez singled to plate Jordan Scott. Anthony Kemp tried to tie the game during the next at-bat, going for the plate when a ball got away from catcher Nick Rickles, but Rickles recovered and tagged Kemp out to end the inning.

From then on, it was all about the Beloit bullpen. Chris Lamb tossed a scoreless fifth and Kris Hall followed by not allowing a run in the sixth. Nolan Sanburn entered in the seventh and threw a shutout frame and remained in for what became a crucial eighth inning. After the first two hitters reached, Jobduan Morales tried to bunt them over, but Sanburn got the lead runner at third for the first out. The next batter hit into an inning ending double play to kill the threat. Austin House earned the save by not allowing a run in the ninth.

The third and final game of this series is Monday night at Pohlman Field, starting at 6:30pm. The Snappers will send out RHP Derek DeYoung (8-5, 4.22 ERA) and the River Bandits will counter with RHP Daniel Minor (8-3, 3.71 ERA). Fans can once again enjoy $1 fountain sodas, $1 12 ounce drafts of beer and food at half price at the ballpark.