Rattlers are a hit in 2011 opener
Ross retired the first two batters in the top of the first inning.
Then, Brett Eibner homered to left in his first professional at bat.
The second round pick of the Kansas City Royals out of the University of
Arkansas put Kane County (0-1) in front 1-0.
But, it was Ross, a product of Louisiana State University and a
Southeastern Conference rival, who had the last laugh.
The Rattler bats warmed up in a hurry. Shaw
drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first after falling behind Kane County
starter Leonel Santiago 0-2. Reggie
Keen doubled down the left field line and a bobble in left field let Shaw score
and Keen to take third. Cody
Hawn's RBI grounder send Keen home with the go ahead run.
Later in the inning, Robbie Garvey doubled high off the wall in left to
drive in Jason Rogers to give Wisconsin a 3-1 lead.
Ross took to the hill in the top of the second and proceeded to throw strike
after strike. He retired the side in
order in the second and third. He
pitched around an error in the top of the fourth and got a 6-4-3 double play
after a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning.
Wisconsin (1-0) added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Shaw lifted a high fly down the right field line and the ball cleared the
fence for Shaw's first home run as a professional.
Jason Rogers knocked in a run with a groundout and Mike Walker doubled
off the wall in center to score the third run of the frame to put the Rattlers
up 6-1.
Ross concluded his night with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning.
His line in his Midwest League debut was six innings pitched, one run,
two hits, no walks, and six strikeouts.
The offense rewarded the performance of their starting pitcher with three more
runs in the bottom of the sixth. The
third Kane County error of the night allowed Carlos George to score all the way
from first after a bunt single by Franklin Romero.
Shaw drove in Romero with a single and would score on another RBI
grounder by Rogers.
Kane County took advantage of Tyler Cravy in the top of the seventh inning.
Cravy walked the leadoff batter and allowed four hits in the inning.
Back-to-back RBI singles by Angel Franco and Ryan Jenkins with the bases
loaded cut Wisconsin's lead to 9-3. Cravy
got out of the inning with a flyball to shallow right and a diving stop by
George. The Rattlers shortstop
stopped a grounder ticketed for center and turned it into an inning ending force
out at second.
Greg Holle pitched a scoreless eighth and a scoreless ninth to close out the
game.
Wisconsin and Kane County continue the four game series on Friday night.
Matt Miller is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers.
Sugar Ray Marimon is set to go for the Cougars.
Game time is 6:35pm.
Friday night is a North Shore Bank Family Night.
Children 12 and under eat free with a paid admission.
Children 14 and under get to run the bases after the game.
If you can't make it to the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or
www.timberrattlers.com starting with
the pregame show at 6:15pm.
R H
E
KC 100
000 200 - 3 6 3
WI 300
033 00x - 9 14
1
Click
here for boxscore
HOME
RUNS:
KC:
Brett Eibner (1st, 1st inning off Austin Ross, 0 on, 2
out)
WI:
Nick Shaw (1st, 5th inning off Leonel Santiago, 0 on, 0
out)
WP: Austin Ross (1-0)
LP: Leonel Santiago (0-1)
TIME: 2:44
ATTN: 3,234