LumberKings hold off late Wisconsin rally in 4-3 win
Appleton, WI - Despite a two out rally in the bottom of the ninth, the Clinton LumberKings (14-18) escaped Fox Cities Stadium with a 4-3 victory. Clinton handed the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (8-24) their 11th straight loss, as Kody Kerski (SV, 4) got Greg McCall to ground into a game ending fielder's choice with the tying run on third base in the ninth inning.
Notwithstanding a season high five walks, Clinton starter Jeffeson Medina (W, 1-3) earned his first win of the season, as he faced just one over the minimum through six shutout innings. Medina surrendered only one hit, saw catcher Wayne Taylor throw out three potential base stealers and throw out Dustin Demuth on a would be wild pitch, as Wisconsin left just one man on base over the first six innings.
Opposite Medina, Wisconsin starter Cy Sneed (L, 1-4) allowed only one earned run over five innings. The righty stranded five Clinton base runners over the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fifth. Back to back bunt singles by Aaron Barbosa and Nelson Ward put men on first and second for Chantz Mack. Mack doubled to right field, which plated Barbosa, and the relay throw from Demuth airmailed the catcher, as an E4 allowed Ward to score on the play. Clinton led 2-0 after 4.5.
Clinton added a single run in both the sixth and the eighth, what turned out to be necessary runs. A two-out RBI single by Chris Mariscal in the sixth made it 3-0 Clinton, and Kristian Brito's second solo home run of the series made it 4-2 in the eighth.
Down 4-2 with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the ninth, three straight Wisconsin batters reached vs. Kerski. The Clinton closer walked both Alan Sharkey and Tucker Neuhaus on 3-2 pitches, while Elvis Rubio made it 4-3 with an RBI single. Rubio's only hit of the game plated Sharkey and moved Luis Aviles, who had pinch run for Neuhaus, to third base. With the tying run at third and winning run at first, Clinton shortstop Chris Mariscal made a sliding stop on a ground ball up the middle by McCall and flipped to Ward covering second base to retire Rubio and close out the Clinton win.
With an 0-4 afternoon, Alex Jackson's five game hit streak came to an end, while Neuhaus extended his hit streak to a team high 10 games for the Timber Rattlers. The home run for Brito was his third of the season, all of which have come in his last nine starts, and he trails only Joe Decarlo (4) in home runs on the LumberKings.
The two teams will continue their four game series Wednesday night, as first pitch of game three is set for 6:35. Two 2014 draft picks are scheduled to start, as both have struggled through the first five weeks of the season. 29th round pick Tyler Herb (1-0, 5.73) will start for Clinton, fresh off his best start of the season, while 1st round pick Kodi Medeiros (0-2, 6.08) will counter for Wisconsin. The LumberKings broadcast can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, WCCIRadio.com, and LumberKings.com.