BELOIT, WI – The Beloit Snappers beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-0 on Wednesday night at ABC Supply Stadium. Antonio Velez took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as his offense cracked three solo home runs to defeat Wisconsin and even the six-game series between the teams at one win for each side.
Nick Kahle almost put Wisconsin (38-41) in front with the first home run at ABC Supply Stadium. Kahle hit a high fly to left that was heading for the Timber Rattlers bullpen. Snappers left fielder Kameron Misner had other ideas as he got back to the fence, leapt, and made the catch above the fence to rob Kahle of a homer.
That catch also saved a piece of history for Misner’s teammate. Troy Johnston hit a solo homer to center with one out in the bottom of the second inning and the Snappers had a 1-0 lead.
Beloit (35-44) added to their lead in the third inning. Connor Scott doubled with one out and scored on a throwing error after a grounder to short off the bat of Victor Victor Mesa.
Kole Enright made it 3-0 in favor of the Snappers with a home run to right with one away in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Meanwhile, Velez was keeping the Rattlers in check. A hit batsman and an error with two outs in the first inning were Wisconsin’s only base runners through six innings. Velez retired sixteen batters in a row from the final out of the first inning through the final out of the sixth,
Joe Gray Jr. broke up the no-hit bid with a lead-off single in the top of the seventh, but he was left stranded at second base at the end of the inning as Velez finished off Wisconsin with a grounder and two strikeouts. That ended Velez’s night as he allowed one hit and struck out ten over seven scoreless innings.
The Snappers picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Mesa and Johnston added one more run for Beloit in the eighth with his second home run of the night.
Gray had Wisconsin’s only other hit of the night. He doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth off Jackson Rose. Gray was 2-for-3 on Wednesday and is on a six-game hitting streak. He is 9-for-22 during this streak.
Joey Matulovich was the Wisconsin starter and he allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over five innings to be charged with the loss.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at ABC Supply Stadium. Justin Jarvis (1-5, 5.98) is scheduled to come off the Wisconsin IL and make his first start for the Rattlers since June 29. The Snappers have named Bryan Hoeing (3-6, 6.63) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:35pm.
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