Rattlers get Snow-ed under in game two

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The way the weather has been for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers over the last two weeks, you had to figure a pitcher with the last name of Snow would give them trouble. Forrest Snow tossed a complete game for the Clinton LumberKings to beat the Rattlers 6-1 in game two of a doubleheader on Friday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Snow allowed a run on five hits and struck out seven to help Clinton get a split in the twinbill after Matt Miller tossed a complete game shutout for the Rattlers in game one.

Clinton (6-16) got on the board with a little help from the Rattlers in the third inning. Carlton Tanabe struck out to start the frame, but he reached on a passed ball. Back-to-back bunt singles by Shaver Hansen and Julio Morban loaded the bases with no outs.

Wisconsin starting pitcher Del Howell hit Tim Morris on a 2-0 pitch to force in a run. Then, Stefen Romero singled to drive in two runs for a 3-0 Clinton lead.

Romero would score on a sacrifice fly by Ramon Morla to put the LumberKings up 4-0. On the play, Timber Rattlers catcher Cameron Garfield was injured as he twisted a knee trying to catch the throw to the plate and get a tag on Morla going by him. Garfield left the game after the play.

Clinton added a run in the top of the fourth inning. Howell walked the first two batters of the inning and was replaced by Damon Krestalude. Tanabe greeted Krestalude with a single to right, but right fielder Franklin Romero threw out Jabari Bash trying to score from second for the first out of the inning.

Hansen followed with a fly ball to left that was just out of the reach of Robbie Garvey at the wall. Tanabe went halfway at first to make sure the ball was off the wall before moving to second. However, Shaver was running all out and passed Tanabe in the basepath for the second out. Marcus Littlewood scored on the play for a 5-0 Clinton lead.

The Rattlers (7-11) got their only run off Snow in the bottom of the fourth. Cody Hawn lined a homer over the wall in left. It was the first Midwest League home run for Hawn.

Clinton answered with a solo homer by Stefen Romero in the top of the fifth to account for the final score.

Snow did give up a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth, but retired the final nine batters he faced to close out the Rattlers and earn the doubleheader split.

The final game of the series and of the homestand is Saturday afternoon. Jimmy Nelson (0-1, 4.97) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. George Mieses (0-2, 4.58) will start for the LumberKings. Game time at Time Warner Cable Field is 1:05pm. If you can't make it out to the ballpark, tune in to AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com for the broadcast starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:45pm.

Click here for a boxscore of game two

HOME RUNS:

CLN: Stefen Romero (2nd, 5th inning off Damon Krestalude, 1 out)

WIS: Cody Hawn (1st, 4th inning off Forrest Snow, 0 out)

WP: Forrest Snow (1-2) LP: Del Howell (0-3)

TIME: 2:08 ATTN: 4,062