Published: May 22, 2008 09:50 am      

L-Kings jump to five-game lead

CLINTON — With Wednesday night’s victory over the Beloit Snappers the LumberKings have extended their Midwest League lead in the West to five games over the Kane County Cougars.

Blake Beavan earned his third career win as the LumberKings beat Beloit 7-2.

Beavan showed why he was a No. 1 pick by setting down the first 14 hitters of the game before giving up a single to Beloit second baseman Steve Singleton.

Beavan did however face the minimum as Singleton was caught stealing second. Beavan on the night went five innings, struck out three Snappers and gave up the lone hit. Beavan was pulled out before the sixth, but after his warm up pitches.

“I’ve been working on stuff in the bullpen on the side with DC (Danny Clark). My lower back was getting stiff on me I went out and threw a few pitches and with us having a lead they thought it was better to be on the safe side” said Beavan.

The LumberKings jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Ian Gac doubled to right field with one out in the inning.

Jonathan Greene would knock his sixth home run of the season just to the right of the score board.

The L-Kings got their third consecutive extra base hit when Mitch Moreland doubled down the right field line. Cristian Santana would then be hit by a pitch, moving runners to first and second.

Jacobs Kaase grounded to the second baseman, but a throwing error by Beloit’s Singleton would allow all base runners to stay put. Santana would have to be taken out of the game after sliding awkwardly into second, he would be replaced by Miguel Alfonzo.

“He rolled his ankle and we put Fonzy in. As of right now we’ll have to reevaluate and see where he is at” said Mike Micucci.

Justin Pickett who was just called up by the LumberKings collected on an infield single that would score Moreland and give the L-Kings a 3-0 lead after four.

The very next inning Ian Gac would again double with one out, this time he hit the center field wall.

Gac ended up with three doubles and went 4-for-4.

Greene followed his home run with a triple off the center field wall as well, Gac would score easily from second.

Greene scored on a wild pitch.

Moreland would pop out for the second out of the inning and Alfonzo would walk setting up runners and first and third. The Snappers called the pen to bring in Blair Erickson to stop the bleeding.

Kaase walked setting up runners at first and second.

Pickett struck out again as he doubled to right field scoring Alfonzo. After Kaase rounded third he slipped and got caught in a run down that would eventually end the inning. Pickett went 3-for-4 on the night and pick up a pair of RBI’s.

Chris Cates of Beloit would reach on an infield single to start off the seventh. On the very next pitch Chris Parmelee would blast a home run to deep right field scoring the first runs for the Snappers.

The LumberKings would tack on one more run in the bottom of the seventh when Moreland would double home Gac from first giving the L-Kings the 7-2 lead. Moreland went 2-for-4 with and RBI.

Greene had started off the season on a slow note but has come into a zone as of late. Greene now extends his hitting streak to six games.

“I started slow this year but I’ve started to do better. I just keep working in the cage and knew it would pay off sometime” said Greene.

The LumberKings will end the four game series tonight starting at 7 p.m. at Alliant Energy Field. Hard throwing Neftali Feliz will make his ninth start of the season. Feliz has a record of 4-1 and has a 2.53 ERA and averages 10 strike outs per game. Beloit will trot out Jordan Walden who is 2-4 with a 2.76 ERA.

LUMBERKINGS 7, SNAPPERS 2

BELOIT CLINTON

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Revere cf 4 0 1 0 Beltre cf 5 0 0 0

Cates ss 3 1 1 0 Osuna 2b 4 0 0 0

Olson 3b 4 0 0 0 Smith dh 5 0 0 0

Parmelee 1b 4 1 1 2 Gac 1b 4 3 4 0

Fernandez dh 4 0 0 0 Greene 3b 3 2 2 3

Singleton 2b 3 0 1 0 Moreland rf 4 1 2 1

Benson rf 3 0 0 0 Santana lf 1 0 0 0

Yersich c 3 0 1 0 Alfonzo lf 1 1 0 0

Lewis lf 3 0 0 0 Kaase ss 3 0 0 0

Pickett c 4 0 3 2



Beloit 000 000 200 —2

Clinton 000 330 10x —7

E—Cates, Singleton. DP—Beloit 1. LOB—Beloit 5, Clinton 8. 2B—Gac 3, Moreland 2, Pickett. 3B—Greene. HR—Parmelee (8), Greene (6). CS—Singleton.

IP H R ER BB SO

Beloit

Kirwan L,3-2 4 2/3 7 6 6 2 3

Erickson 1 1/3 1 0 0 2 1

Hirschfeld 2 3 1 1 0 4

Clinton

Beavan W,3-1 5 1 0 0 0 3

Ueno 2 2 2 2 0 1

Turner 1 2 0 0 1 1

Dennis 1 0 0 0 0 1

HBP—by Kirwan (Santana); by Ueno (Benson, Singleton). WP—Kirwan. Time—2:40. Attendance—530.