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Rattlers score early, score late; win second straight

April 18, 2012
GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored five runs in the first inning and eventually built a 6-1 lead over the Burlington Bees Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Bees came back to tie the game 6-6 before the Rattlers scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning to pick up a 10-6 win. Chadwin Stang tripled twice and drove in three runs while Carlos George homered and knocked in a pair. Greg Hopkins and Yadiel Rivera each came through with hits to drive in two runs in the ninth inning to send Wisconsin to their second straight win.

The Rattlers (7-6) grabbed control with a five run first inning against Burlington starting pitcher Jose Macias. Wisconsin loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Stang unloaded the bases with a triple to the corner in right field. Brandon Macias would be next and his single knocked in Stang. Then, Macias stole second and went to third on a throwing error. George singled in Macias for a quick 5-0 lead.

Burlington (6-7) got a run back off Wisconsin starter Mark Williams on a leadoff homer in the second by Dusty Robinson. The homer was the fifth of the season for Robinson.

The Rattlers got that run back in the bottom of the fourth inning when George blasted his first home run since July 23, 2010.

Williams struck out six over five innings and turned the 6-1 lead over to the Rattlers bullpen.

The Bees started their comeback in the seventh inning against Seth Lintz. He gave up a two-run homer to Nick Rickels with one out in the inning and the Rattlers lead was cut to 6-3.

In the eighth, Burlington had runners at the corners and two outs with John Nester at the plate. Nester fouled off five two strike pitches from Lintz and worked the count full before coaxing a walk from the Rattlers reliever to load the bases.

Tommy Toledo relieved Lintz at that point and gave up a three-run triple to Royce Consigli that tied the game 6-6.

But, the Rattler hitters responded in the bottom of the eighth. Parker Berberet drew a leadoff walk and John Dishon pinch ran for him. Stang, who had also tripled in the third inning, was asked to drop a sacrifice bunt and he did to send Dishon to second base. Macias singled to left, but it was hit too sharply for Dishon to score. An error on the throw in from the outfield let Macias take second base. The Bees walked George to load the bases and setup a potential double play with Hopkins due at the plate.

Hopkins foiled the strategy with a single to center that drove in two runs and put the Rattlers up 8-6.

One out later Rivera smacked a triple to center to drive in two more runs and give the Rattlers a 10-6 advantage.

Toledo worked a 1-2-3 ninth to finish the Bees.

The Timber Rattlers begin a six game road trip on Thursday night with a game against the West Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth Third Ballpark. David Goforth (1-0, 3.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Brennan Smith (1-0, 0.00) is set to start for the Whitecaps. Game time is 5:35pm CDT. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 5:15pm.

HOME RUNS:
BUR:
Dusty Robinson (5th, 2nd inning off Mark Williams, 0 out)
Nick Rickels (1st, 7th inning off Seth Lintz, 1 out)

WIS:
Carlos George (1st, 4th inning off Jose Macias, 0 out)

WP: Tommy Toledo (2-0)
LP: Brent Powers (2-1)

TIME: 2:49
ATTN: 841