Snappers outslug Wisconsin
Beloit (67-54 overall, 28-23 second half) scored an unearned run off Shaun Marcum in the bottom of the second inning. A dropped popup allowed Miguel Sano to reach second base. A fly ball out to deep left-center moved Sano to third. He scored on a two out single by Stephen Wickens.
Wisconsin (69-51, 25-26) used the long ball to take the lead in the top of the third inning. Chadwin Stang launched a two-run homer off Beloit starting pitcher Cole Johnson to put the Rattlers in front 2-1. Johnson would walk Brandon Macias with two outs and be replaced by Tim Atherton. Ben McMahan welcomed Atherton to the game by lining a two-run homer to left for a 4-1 lead.
Beloit would score twice in the fourth inning to pull to within a run. Eddie Rosario doubled and would score on a single by Kennys Vargas. Vargas would try to stretch the platy into a double and would be thrown out for the second out. Marcum gave up a single and two walks to load the bases before he left due to his pitch count.
Jacob Barnes relieved Marcum and walked in a run before getting the final out of the fourth. That walk allowed the Snappers to get to within 4-3.
Marcum pitched 3-2/3 innings, allowed three runs - two earned - on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Snappers tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Barnes retired the first two batters he faced in the inning, but allowed a walk, a single, and a walk to load the bases. A walk to Wickens forced in the tying run.
Wisconsin responded in the top of the sixth with three runs. Rafael Neda smacked an RBI single to right and Greg Hopkins raced home from second base to take the lead. Stang followed with a two-run double to make it 7-4.
But, Beloit kept coming back.
JD Williams hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into Wisconsin's lead to make it 7-6.
Barnes gave up a hit and a walk in the seventh inning and left with two outs and runners at the corners. Michael Strong got the fly ball to left off the bat off the bat of Nate Roberts he needed to end the inning. But, the ball was dropped and two runs scored to put the Snappers up 8-7.
Then, the Rattlers came back. Neda singled with one out and was replaced by pinch-runner Adrian Williams. The pinch-runner didn't need to run. Yadiel Rivera drove a 2-0 pitch from Beloit closer Corey Williams over the fence in right-center for a two-run home run and a 9-8 Wisconsin lead.
Beloit wasn't done. Eddie Rosario homered on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the frame and tie the game 9-9. A single, a strikeout, and a walk, put runners at first and second with one out. Wickens singled to shallow right and the runner at third was going to hold, but the ball was bobbled in right and the go ahead run scored. Matt Koch drilled a three-run homer make it 13-9 in favor of Beloit.
Nick Ramirez drilled a solo homer - the fourth Wisconsin homer of the night - with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. The home run was the fifteenth of the season for the Snappers. But, that was as close as the Rattlers would get.
Game two of the series is Thursday night at Pohlman Field. Mark Williams (6-9, 3.88) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Jason Wheeler (13-5, 3.28) is the scheduled starter for the Snappers. 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 (7th, 1 on in 3rd inning off Cole Johnson, 1 out)
Ben McMahan (11th, 1 on in 3rd inning off Tim Atherton, 2 out)
Yadiel Rivera (12th, 1 on in 8th inning off Corey Williams, 1 out)
Nick Ramirez (15th, 0 on in 9th inning off Zack Jones, 2 out)
BEL:
JD Williams (5th, 1 on in 6th inning off Jacob Barnes, 1 out)
Eddie Rosario (9th, 0 on in 8th inning off Michael Strong, 0 out)
Matt Koch (8th, 2 on in 8th inning off Michael Strong, 1 out)
WP: Corey Williams (4-4)
LP: Michael Strong (1-1)
TIME: 3:38
ATTN: 1,830