Rattlers win seventh in a row with 4-3 decision at Clinton
CLINTON, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are putting quite a finishing kick together. Wisconsin won their seventh consecutive game with a 4-3 victory over the Clinton LumberKings Monday night at Ashford University Field. Taylor Williams pitched a gem and the Rattlers did just enough to preserve the victory with six games remaining in the first half of the Midwest League season.
Austin Wilson tripled to lead off the Clinton second inning. He scored on a wild pitch by Williams and the LumberKings were up 1-0. That was all Clinton (29-33) would get off Williams. He retired the final fifteen batters he faced.
Jose Pena doubled with one out in the Wisconsin fourth. Rafael Neda drew a walk to put two runners on for Paul Eshleman against the LumberKings. Starting pitcher Carlos Misell got Eshleman to send a grounder to short for what appeared to be an inning ending double play. The ball took a bad hop of the chest of Jack Reinheimer, but the ball deflected right to second baseman Zach Shank standing on bag. Shank got the force on Neda, but threw wildly to first. The ball went out of play to allow Pena to score the tying run and Eshleman to move into scoring position.
Angel Ortega got Eshleman home when his sinking line drive to center dropped in just in front of Aaron Barbosa, who got a glove on the ball with a diving attempt. Eshleman trotted home with the run that put the Rattlers (32-31) up 2-1.
Wisconsin added to their lead in the top of the sixth. Neda and Eshleman walked to start the inning against reliever Tommy Burns. Ortega bunted the runners over to second and third. The runners were still at their stations with two outs. Then, Burns threw a pitch to the backstop and Neda scored for a 3-1 lead.
Taylor Brennan crushed the first pitch of the top of the seventh for his fifth home run of the season and Wisconsin was up 4-1 heading to the stretch.
Williams, who has been named to the West Division team for next week's Midwest League All-Star Game, left after six innings of work on Monday night. He allowed one run on one hit, walked one, and struck out seven.
Tyler Alexander tossed a scoreless seventh and retired the first two batters of the bottom of the eighth. But, a single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Reinheimer. The LumberKings shortstop lined the first pitch in this at bat to left-center for a two-run single.
Wilson was next with the tying run at third and the lead run at first. He sent a screaming line drive right to the glove of second baseman Francisco Castillo for the final out of the eighth.
Alexander had a no drama bottom of the ninth. He set down the LumberKings in order, including the last two by strikeout, to finish the game with a flourish.
The current seven-game winning streak is the longest by the Timber Rattlers since they won eight in a row during the 2012 season. Wisconsin is above the .500 mark for the first time since they were 10-9 on April 24 earlier this season.
As far as Monday's games involving the other three teams in the First Half Western Division Wild Card race were concerned: The Burlington Bees, the current Wild Card leader, swept a doubleheader from the Beloit Snappers at home by scores of 6-5 and 3-1. The Peoria Chiefs defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits 8-4 in Davenport, Iowa.
Burlington is now 34-29. The Chiefs and River Bandits are one game behind the Bees at 33-20. The Rattlers are two games behind the Bees at 32-31.
The top four teams in the Wild Card standings will start new three game series on Tuesday. The Bees head to Clinton. Peoria is at Kane County, a team the is already in the playoffs as the First Half Western Division Champions. Quad Cities have a series starting at Cedar Rapids.
The Timber Rattlers return to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium to begin a brief three game homestand against Beloit. Barrett Astin (5-3, 4.31) is scheduled start for the Timber Rattlers. Lou Trivino (4-4, 5.43) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Snappers. Game time is 7:05pm.
The Rattlers continue to celebrate their 20th anniversary season presented by Bergstrom Automotive with bobblehead number five in the anniversary team bobblehead series that is being given away this season. The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a bobblehead of Baltimore Orioles centerfielder Adam Jones courtesy of Hardee's. Jones was the shortstop for the Timber Rattlers in 2004 and has gone on to win three Gold Gloves and been named to three American League All-Star teams. Now, he has his own Timber Rattlers bobblehead.
Ticket prices will be thrown back to 1995 prices of $5 for a box seat, $4 for a reserved seat, and $3 for grass seating as part of this Throwback Game presented by Appvion. Timber Rattlers players will wear jerseys based on those worn by the team in its inaugural season, too.
Show your business card when you purchase a ticket and for $13.50 you will receive a box seat ticket, a beverage and your choice of brat or hot dog. The offer is also available to senior citizens (55 & older) courtesy of Baker Tilly, WVBO, and AM1280 WNAM.
If you can't make it to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel will televise the game starting at 7:00pm. The radio broadcast may be heard on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. Tuesday's game is also available to subscribers of MiLB.TV.
HOME RUN:
WIS:
Taylor Brennan (6th, 0 on in 7th inning off Tommy Burns, 0 out)
WP: Taylor Williams (4-1)
LP: Carlos Misell (6-5)
SAVE: Tyler Alexander (2)
TIME: 2:40
ATTN: 1,253