Rally Rattlers strike again
Lake County (40-48 overall, 9-10 second half) jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Luigi Rodriguez started the scoring with an RBI double. A single and a walk loaded the bases for Bryson Myles, who knocked in a run with a single. A sacrifice fly by Alex Lavisky plated another run.
Leonardo Castillo was next and he doubled to the wall in left. One run scored, but Myles was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Wisconsin (54-34, 10-9) rallied for three runs in the top of the third inning to cut the deficit to a run. The Rattlers loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Macias drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. Nick Ramirez came through with a two-out, two-run double to make it 4-3.
But, the Captains answered with three runs in the bottom of the third and one more in the bottom of the fourth. Myles cracked a two-run double in the third. Then, he stole third and scored on a throwing error. In the fourth, Rodriguez banged a single, his third hit of the game, with two outs to drive in a run and Lake County went up 8-3.
The Rattlers stormed back in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game. Macias struck with an RBI single that scored Rivera and sent Chadwin Stang to third with no outs. Then, with Nick Ramirez at the plate, Macias took off for second and drew a throw. Stang broke for the plate and avoided the tag on the return throw to steal home. Moments later Ramirez singled to left-center and Macias scored to get the Rattlers within two runs.
Garfield cranked the next pitch to the bleachers in left field for a two-run homer and a tie game.
Rivera and Stang set up Macias for the go ahead RBI in the sixth. Rivera doubled for his third hit of the game and moved to third on a single by Stang. Stang would steal second base to put two runners in scoring position. Macias drove in his third run of the night with an infield single and the Rattlers led 9-8.
Lake County had a huge threat in the bottom of the seventh inning as they loaded the bases with no outs against Kevin Shackelford. The Rattlers reliever escaped the frame by getting Lavisky to ground into a 1-2-3 double play and Castillo to ground out to first.
The Rattlers offense provided a pair of insurance runs with two outs in the top of the eighth. Rivera smacked a two-out solo home run. His team-leading tenth home run of the season gave him a 4-for-4 night with four runs scored. Then, Stang would single and steal second. Stang scored from second when a Macias grounder to third went for an error. The play was originally ruled an RBI single for Macias.
Michael Strong pitched a scoreless eighth and a scoreless ninth to close out the game. The save was Strong's first as a professional.
Game two of the series is Thursday morning. Chad Thompson (3-2, 4.79) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Shawn Morimando (302, 3.90) is slated to go for the Captains. Game time is 10:00am CDT. Tune in for the Miller Lite Pregame Show on AM1280, WNAM or timberratlers.com at 9:40am.
HOME RUNS:
WIS:
Cameron Garfield (3rd, 1 on in 5th inning off Felix Sterling, 1 out)
Yadiel Rivera (10th, 0 on in 8th inning off Antwonie Hubbard, 2 out)
WP: Kevin Shackelford (2-3)
LP: Felix Sterling (3-8)
SAVE: Michael Strong (1)
TIME: 2:42
ATTN: 3,490