Rattlers bash their way to .500

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continued their offensive onslaught with an 11-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Sunday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field. Wisconsin has won four straight games and scored 42 runs with 53 hits during the streak. The win also evened the Timber Rattlers overall record at 66-66.

Wisconsin (28-34 second half) jumped out to a big lead early by scoring six times in the first inning. Carlos Gomez and TJ Mittelstaedt started the inning with back-to-back singles. Cody Hawn followed with an RBI doubled to plate the first run. Jason Rogers was next and he doubled to send two runs home. Nick Ramirez was next and he doubled home Rogers for a 4-0 lead.

Later in the inning, Ramirez scored from third when Rafael Neda grounded into a double play with the bases loaded. The final run scored when Brandon Macias crossed the plate from third after an errant pickoff throw to first base.

Brandon Macias made the score 7-0 with an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning.

Rattlers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson cruised with the big lead against the Kernels (57-75, 25-37). He allowed an unearned run in the top of the third inning, but that was about it. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter over seven innings. Nelson picked up the win to even his record at 8-8.

The Rattlers added single runs in the third, sixth, and eighth innings. A sacrifice fly by Mittelstaedt got the run home in the third. Neda drew a bases loaded walk in the sixth and Hopkins drove in a run with a single in the eighth.

Stosh Wawrzasek and Adrian Rosario each worked a scoreless inning out of the bullpen to finish off Cedar Rapids.

Carlos Gomez made his second rehab appearance for the Timber Rattlers on Sunday. He went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a stolen base. Gomez is scheduled to start and play seven innings Monday night for the Timber Rattlers.

Game three of the series is Monday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Eric Arnett (0-3, 4.42) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Seth Fowler (2-4, 7.00) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 7:05pm.

Monday night is a Bonus Bang for Your Buck Night with soda, hot dogs, and Miller products available for $1.

The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a bobblehead of Timber Rattlers single season home run record holder Khris Davis courtesy of FOX 11 and a magnet schedule for the 2012 Timber Rattlers season courtesy of Water Right's Clean Water Center.

Monday is the final Qdoba Q*Monday of the season. Fans receive a free ticket this game when they purchase a lunch entrée at the Qdoba by the Fox River Mall on August 29.

If you can't make it to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. Monday's game is also available on MiLB.TV. Time Warner Cable subscribers may also catch the game on Sports 32.

WP: Jimmy Nelson (8-8)
LP: Jairo Diaz (0-2)

TIME: 2:50
ATTN: 6,506