Rattlers win third straight and push division lead to three games

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers didn't forget how much they like playing at home. David Goforth tossed five shutout innings and Jason Rogers knocked in three runs as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers beat the Clinton LumberKings 6-4 on Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Rattlers, who completed a thirteen game road trip on Monday, won their first home game since May 21 with the victory over the LumberKings. Wisconsin is 21-9 in home games in 2012.

A pair of Timber Rattlers All-Stars combined to give the team a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Greg Hopkins doubled with one out and Yadiel Rivera drove in Hopkins with a single to left.

Rogers drove in his first run of the night with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third to score Chadwin Stang from second base.

Carlos George stole a run in the bottom of the fourth. He struck out with two away, but reached on a dropped third strike. George took second on a wild pitch, stole third and score on a throwing error for a 3-0 lead.

Wisconsin (37-22) went up 6-0 in the fourth inning. Brandon Macias singled in the first run. Rogers struck again later in the inning when his two-run single pushed the Rattlers way in front.

Goforth allowed a hit, walked three, and struck out three over five scoreless innings to put him in position for his fifth win of the season.

Clinton (21-37) scored three times off reliever Chad Pierce in the top of the seventh inning. Jabari Blash hit a solo homer to center with one out to get the first run. A two-out, two-run single by Anthony Phillips cut Wisconsin's lead to 6-4.

The LumberKings cut into the lead again in the top of the ninth inning. Ramon Morla tripled with one out and scored on a grounder to short. Pierce would give up a bloop double to right to the next batter, but struck out Phillips to end the game.

Pierce struck out six over four innings and picked up his second save of the season.

Wisconsin's lead in the Western Division moved to three games over the Beloit Snappers. Burlington shutout Beloit 5-0 in Burlington on Wednesday night.

The Timber Rattlers are closing in on their first Midwest League playoff spot since the 2005 season. The top two teams in the Western Division at the end of the first half qualify for the post-season. The Kane County Cougars are currently in third place and trail the Rattlers by six games. There are eleven games remaining in the first half of the schedule.

The Timber Rattlers and LumberKings continue their series on Thursday night at 7:05pm. Will West (1-1, 11.32) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Brett Shankin (1-2, 4.10) is set to start for Clinton.

The Miller Summer Kickoff continues on Thursday with $1 Miller products and ticket giveaways to Noah's Ark, Summerfest, Country USA, Rock USA, and the EAA Fly-In.

The Timber Rattlers are offers a special ticket discount of $1 off a box or reserved bleacher seat to area educators when they show their school ID at the ticket window as part of Educator Appreciation Night. Plus, the first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a rally towel courtesy of Kagen Allergy Clinic.

If you can't make it out to the game, there are several ways to catch the action. Sports32 will broadcast the game to Time Warner Cable subscribers. The game will also be available to MiLB.TV subscribers.

Fans may also tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm.

HOME RUN:
CLN:
Jabari Blash (9th, 0 on in 7th inning off Chad Pierce, 1 out)

WP: David Goforth (5-4)
LP: Jordan Shipers (2-2)
SV: Chad Pierce (2)

TIME: 2:48
ATTN: 4,792