TinCaps top Timber Rattlers
Fort Wayne (28-33) took the lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Stubblefield. They added to the lead when Wes Cunningham grounded into a 6-4-3 double play with runners at the corners and the runner from third scored.
Wisconsin (32-30) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Chris Dennis.
Then, every hard hit ball by the Rattlers with runners on base started finding the mitts of the TinCaps. TJ Mittelstaedt drew a one out walk in the bottom of the fifth. He was off and running on a pitch to Reggie Keen. Keen lined that pitch down the third base line and it looked to be headed into the left field for an RBI double. But, Stubblefield, Fort Wayne's third baseman made a diving stab of the line drive and easily doubled Mittelstaedt off first base to end the inning.
Rymer Liriano homered to start the top of the sixth inning to give the TinCaps a 3-1 lead and knock Rattlers starting pitcher Dan Britt out of the game. Tom Keeling came into the game and got the first out of the inning, but walked the next two batters. Stosh Wawrzasek relieved Keeling at this point of the game.
Stubblefield singled on the first pitch he saw from Wawrzasek into right field. A run scored on the single and another scored when the throw in to third base got away. The TinCaps were up 5-1 at that time.
Nick Shaw singled to start Wisconsin's half of the sixth. He was running on a pitch to Cody Hawn. Hawn drove the pitch to left field and it looked like extra bases. But, left fielder Luis Domoromo raced back and made a leaping catch on the warning track with his back to the infield. Shaw was halfway to third base when the ball was caught. He was easily doubled off first base.
Wisconsin's defense, which turned four double plays in the first four innings, committed three errors in the top of the eighth inning and the TinCaps scored three unearned runs to go up 8-1.
The Rattlers got a run on an RBI single by Shaw, his third hit of the night, in the bottom of the eighth. They also loaded the bases with two outs. Dennis sent a hard grounder down the first base line, but first baseman Wes Cunningham speared the grounder behind the bag. He beat Dennis to the bag for the final out of the inning.
Andrew Werner was the winning pitcher for the TinCaps. He struck out eight and allowed a run on five hits over seven innings to move his record to 2-5.
The Rattlers and TinCaps play the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm. Mark Hardy (3-4, 2.54) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Fort Wayne. Wisconsin has Jimmy Nelson (1-6, 5.61) as their scheduled starting pitcher. Takashi Saito of the Milwaukee Brewers is slated to make a rehabilitation appearance for the Rattlers on Sunday.
Sunday is a Brewers Sunday sponsored by 107.5, The Fan. Fans will be able to participate in Catch on the Field before the game. During the game, Timber Rattlers players will be wearing jerseys based on those of the 1975 Milwaukee Brewers. There is a player autograph session scheduled for after the game.
If you can't make it out to Time Warner Cable Field for the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:45pm.
HOME RUN:
FW:
Rymer Liriano (7th, 0 on in 6th, off Dan Britt, 0 out)
WP: Andrew Werner (2-5)
LP: Dan Britt (3-2)
TIME: 2:58
ATTN: 4,855