Van Snelleberg Walks Off Tribe to Salvage Split

Sam Van Snellenberg hit a one out walk-off triple to give the Burnaby Braves a 5-4 win and a split of their Saturday afternoon doubleheader against the Tri City Indians. In the opener, Tri City pounded out 14 hits enroute to an 11-4 win. The Tribe held a 2-1 lead in the fourth but gave up four unearned runs with two outs and were never able to get back in the game. Kaz Kada threw 3+ innings without allowing an earned run and Williams Camacho-Soto struck out five in his 2 2/3 innings of work. The game took over three hours to complete. In the night cap, the Braves jumped out to an early 4-0 first inning lead thanks to RBIs from Michael Briglio, Jonny Servidad, and Van Snellenberg. However, the Tribe battled back tying the game in the top of the 7th after the Braves issued seven walks over the final three innings. However, Michael Briglio enduced a fly ball out to left to get out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 7th to keep the game tied. It was the 4th time in the game Braves pitching managed to leave the bases loaded. In the bottom of the 7th, Kaz Kada started a one out rally with a two strike single to right, completing a solid 5/7 day at the plate. With Kada running on a 3-2 pitch, Van Snellenberg hit a deep fly ball to right that scored Kada standing up to give the Braves their first walk-off win of the campaign. The Braves played consistent defence over the course of the afternoon only committing four errors. Jack Yaremko, filled in behind the plate catching all fourteen innings and 312 pitches. Burnaby will enjoy a week of practice before opening the season on the road next Sunday afternoon against the Vancouver Minor Expos. Sam Van Snellenberg has been announced as the Opening Day starter for the Braves with the game two starter to be announced.