Helmers and Mottola Lead Snappers to 6-5 Victory Over Dawgs

WINTER PARK, Fla. - The Orlando Snappers (10-10-1) held on for a 6-5 victory over the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (12-10-1) on Monday night at Alfond Stadium. The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Snappers and was a much-needed reprieve from a rough patch.

Christian Helmers wrapped up his summer season with the Snappers, making his final appearance Monday night. Helmers came just shy of completing five innings but allowed only one run in his encore performance. He led the charge in what was a pitchers' duel for six of the seven innings in the weather-shortened ballgame.

Helmers will head back to his hometown of Trussville, Alabama, on Tuesday. He leaves Florida as the Snappers' leader in innings pitched, having thrown 21.2 innings during the first month of the season. He departs with a 2.91 ERA and likely would have been an all-star had he stayed.

Ryon Smith relieved Helmers, escaping a jam in the fifth and tossing a scoreless sixth to lower his season ERA to 3.63. The recent high school graduate continues to show he can shut down hitters at this level.

The Orlando offense walked home two runs in the fifth, and the Snappers entered the seventh and final inning with a 2-1 advantage. In the top of the seventh, Bo Jonas and Colby Brewington each drove in a run to push the lead to 4-1. Then Luke Mottola stepped to the plate and demolished a baseball for his first home run of the season, extending the cushion to 6-1. Mottola had an entire section of friends and family in attendance at Alfond Stadium, and the "Mottola Mob" flipped a Winter Park home-game atmosphere in the Snappers' favor.

The Diamond Dawgs threatened the Snappers in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs and loading the bases. Clinging to a 6-5 lead, Orlando's Mason Resmondo struck out Roberto Odor to end the game.

The win didn't come drama-free, but it came nonetheless, and Orlando needed it. The Snappers will look to carry that momentum into Tuesday's matchup with the DeLand Suns. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The First Academy.

Theo Shernoff (Michigan)