Rattlers hit three homers to bash Clinton

CLINTON, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have been hitting home runs at a torrid pace in the month of July. They had hit 23 in the first 25 games during the month. On Sunday, the Rattlers cracked three more homers to defeat the Clinton LumberKings 9-4 at Ashford University Field. Chadwin Stang, Cameron Garfield, and Nick Ramirez all went deep for Wisconsin to help the Rattlers snap Clinton's six-game winning streak.

Stang wasted no time in extending his hitting streak to 13 games and in giving the Timber Rattlers a 1-0 lead. Wisconsin's centerfielder blasted the second pitch of the game over the wall in left-center for a solo home run.

Wisconsin (61-43 overall, 17-18 second half) pushed their lead to 4-0 with three runs in the second inning. Ramirez doubled to start the frame and Ben McMahan drove him in with a triple. Mike Garza followed with an RBI single. Later in the inning, Max Walla drew a bases loaded walk with one out to force in a run for a 4-0 lead. Wisconsin would leave the bases loaded in the inning.

Clinton (44-59, 21-14) got a run off Wisconsin starting pitcher Jacob Barnes in the bottom of the second inning. A sacrifice fly by Toby Demello got a run home.

The LumberKings pulled to within a run on two-run single by James Zamarippa in the bottom of the fourth. Clinton loaded the bases with one out, but Barnes got out of the inning with an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.

Garfield made it 5-3 with a homer to start the Rattlers fifth. But, Clinton came back with a two-out RBI single by Patrick Brady in the bottom of the fifth.

That 5-4 lead held through the sixth inning. Then, Ramirez padded the advantage with one swing of the bat. Left-handed Clinton reliever Jeremy Dobbs walked Garfield with one out. Greg Hopkins reached on a fielder's choice after an errant throw to second on an attempt to force Garfield. That play left runners at first and second for Ramirez.

Dobbs fell behind Ramirez 3-0 and grooved the next pitch thinking that Ramirez would be taking. The Rattlers first baseman was not taking. The lefty hit a titanic line drive home run way over the 401' marker in right-center field. The 3-run homer gave the Ramirez his twelfth home run of the season and the Rattlers an 8-4 lead.

Ramirez tacked on one more RBI with a two-out double. His four RBI in the game gave Ramirez 52 runs batted in for the season and put him in the team lead in that category.

Barnes worked five innings and picked up the win. Stosh Wawrzasek pitched four innings of scoreless relief and earned his first save of the season.

Game three of the series in Clinton is Monday night. Matt Miller (8-7, 3.98) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The LumberKings have Seon-Gi Kim (2-2, 3.76) set to take the mound. Game time is 7:00pm. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:40pm.

HOME RUNS:
WIS:
Chadwin Stang (5th, 0 on in 1st inning off Trevor Miller, 0 out)
Cameron Garfield (6th, 0 on in 5th inning off Trevor Miller, 0 out)
Nick Ramirez (12th, 2 on in 7th inning off Jeremy Dobbs, 1 out)

WP: Jacob Barnes (4-3)
LP: Trevor Miller (6-7)
SAVE: Stosh Wawrzasek (1)

TIME: 2:51
ATTN: 2,732