Three Beloit Snappers pitchers combined to hold the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to one hit on Friday night at ABC Supply Stadium. The Rattlers were held off the scoreboard for the third time in five games this week as they dropped an 11-0 decision to their in-state rivals.
The Snappers (38-44) took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run double to left by Ricky Aracena.
Aracena struck again in the bottom of the third. Ynmanol Marinez singled with two outs and stole second to get into scoring position. Aracena singled to center on a 3-2 pitch to score Marinez and Beloit was up 3-0.
MD Johnson was the starting pitcher for the Snappers and he pitched five hitless, scoreless innings with four walks and nine strikeouts.
Beloit added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Victor Victor Mesa doubled to start the inning. Will Banfield dropped a single into center and a misplay allowed Mesa to score for a 4-0 advantage.
Remey Reed took over for Johnson in the top of the sixth inning and picked up where the starter left off by pitching a hitless sixth and seventh inning. Reed retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth before Hayden Cantrelle broke up the no-hit bid with a triple off the wall in right-center.
This was the third time in four games in the series, Wisconsin (38-43) had been held hitless past the fifth inning of a game. The Rattlers go their first hit in the sixth inning on Tuesday and in the seventh inning on Wednesday.
The Snappers put the game away in the bottom of the eighth as they sent twelve batters to the plate and scored seven runs. The big hits in the inning were a three-run double by Connor Scott and a two-run double by Kameron Misner.
Eli Villalobos pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to close out the game and hand Wisconsin its third loss in a row.
Game five of the series is set for Saturday night. Nick Bennett (1-1, 4.87) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Snappers are expected to start George Soriano (1-1, 3.18). Game time is 6:35pm.
