Lansing holds off Rattlers
Juan Sanchez and Brett Lawrie each had four hits to pace the Wisconsin attack. Mike McDade and Yohermyn Chavez each homered for the Lugnuts.
McDade put Lansing (7-15) in front with a leadoff homer in the top of the second inning.
Wisconsin (9-13) scored the tying run with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Sanchez singled to get on base. Lawrie doubled down the third base line to chase Sanchez home. Brock Kjeldgaard singled to left and Lawrie tried to score, but Chavez threw him out with a strike to the plate to end the inning.
The Lugnuts went right back in front in the top of the fourth, but the rally came out of nowhere. There was a runner at first and two out when designated hitter Justin McClanahan seemed to have popped out to second to end the inning. But, McClanahan made contact with catcher Corey Kemp's glove on the swing and catcher's interference was called to keep the inning alive.
Lugnut catcher Jon Talley made the Rattlers pay immediately. He doubled to right-center on the next pitch to drive home both runs and the Lugnuts were up 3-1. Lansing wasn't done as Markus Brisker singled to send Talley home for a 4-1 advantage.
The Rattlers rallied in their half of the fourth. Two batters reached with one out and Cutter Dykstra drove them both home with a triple to make the score 4-3. But, Dykstra was left stranded at third.
The Lugnuts kept swinging when they got their turn in the fifth. Chavez lined a one-out homer to left. The home run was his fifth of the season and gave Chavez the Midwest League lead in that category. McDade was next and he walked. A two out double by McClanahan gave Lansing a 6-3 lead. Solo runs in the sixth and eighth inning gave the Lugnuts an 8-3 advantage.
Wisconsin got a run in the bottom of the eighth on a Michael Marseco two-out RBI single to left. But, Dykstra was thrown out at third as he tried to advance from first to third on the play.
The Rattlers gave themselves a chance in the bottom of the ninth. After reliever Yorman Mayora got a strikeout against the first batter he faced, Sanchez and Lawrie each picked up their fourth hit of the game with singles. Kjeldgaard loaded the bases with another single. Then, Corey Kemp drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run and cut the Lugnut lead to 8-5.
Lansing reliever Matt Daly entered the game and promptly threw a wild pitch with Michael Vass at the plate that allowed Lawrie to score from third and the tying runs to move into scoring position.
Another pitch from Daly got away from Tally behind the plate and Kjeldgaard headed for the plate. However, Tally got to this ball quickly and the flip to Daly covering was in time to get Kjeldgaard for the second out.
Daly would walk Vass to give the Rattlers a chance, but he got the final out to preserve the Lugnut win.
The final game of the three game series is Monday afternoon. Wily Peralta (1-1, 1.69) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Lansing will counter with Josh Wells (0-2, 9.26). Game time is 12:05pm.