Comeback Rattlers Score Four in Eighth and Hold on for Win

DAVENPORT, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are starting to make a habit of late comebacks. The Rattlers recorded their ninth comeback win of the season as they scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to rally past the Quad Cities River Bandits for an 8-7 victory Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park.

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Peyton Wilson hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to put Quad Cities (12-20) up 1-0.

Wisconsin (21-11) took the lead in the top of the second inning. Carlos Rodríguez doubled with one out. Ashton McGee drove in Rodríguez with a single. Later in the inning, Tyler Black singled with runners on the corners and two outs to score McGee for a 2-1 lead.

The River Bandits went back in front in the bottom of the second. Juan Carlos Negret homered with one out. Then, with runners at the corners, two outs, and on 0-2 count on Tyler Tolbert, a wild pitch by TJ Shook allowed the runner on third to score.

Dillan Shrum added to the River Bandits lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. Quad Cities added two more runs in the inning on an RBI triple from Morgan McCullough and an RBI grounder by Wilson.

The Timber Rattlers took advantage of a pair of free base runners in the top of the fifth. Joe Gray Jr walked, and Tyler Black was hit by a pitch. Zavier Warren lined a double to left to score Gray and get Black to third base. Tristan Peters scored Black with a sacrifice fly to right and Wisconsin was down by two runs.

Cam Williams expanded the Quad Cities lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with another solo home run. Williams eighth homer of the season gave the River Bandits a 7-4 lead.

The River Bandits have hit 21 homers in eleven games against Wisconsin this season.

Warren started the Wisconsin rally in the eighth with his second double of the game. The Rattlers loaded the bases with one out when River Bandits reliver Kasey Kalich hit Darrien Miller and walked Wes Clarke. Rodríguez drew another walk and this one forced home Warren, and the deficit was two runs.

McGee was next to hit for Wisconsin, and he lined a 1-2 pitch from Kalich into the corner in right for a two-run double to tie the game and send Rodríguez around to third base. Gray got the Rattlers the lead with a sacrifice fly to the track in left to drive Rodríguez home for an 8-7 advantage.

Cam Robinson took over on the mound for the Timber Rattlers in the bottom of the eighth inning and struck out the side. In the ninth, he gave up a one-out double to McCullough and the River Bandits had the tying run in scoring position. Robinson got the second out on a grounder to third and closed out the game by striking out Wilson. Robinson leads the Midwest League in saves with seven.

Saturday’s win marked the fourth time Wisconsin has won a game when trailing after seven innings this season. The Rattlers are 12-0 when leading after eight innings this season.

The victory also clinched a series win for the Rattlers. They have won four of the first five games in the six-game series with the Bandits.

The series finale at Modern Woodmen Park is Sunday afternoon. Brandon Knarr (4-1, 1.62) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Anderson Paulino (0-5, 7.06) is set to start for the River Bandits. Game time is 1:00pm with the radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio set to start at 12:40pm.