Wisconsin whacks four homers in 14-2 win over Captains
The Captains (27-32) threatened to break through early as they loaded the bases against Dunn in the first inning. But, the right-hander struck out Jesus Aguilar for the final out of the first to strand all three runners. Then, the Rattler hitters took over from there.
TJ Mittelstaedt started the bottom of the first with a walk. One out later Cody Hawn drew a walk to set up cleanup batter Greg Hopkins. The Rattlers third baseman, who took over the number four spot in the batting order last Saturday, cracked a triple off the wall in left for a 2-0 lead. Hopkins has six RBI in four games since moving into the cleanup spot.
A passed ball allowed Hopkins to score for a 3-0 lead. Wisconsin set the table again with a couple of base runners and Tony Pechek drove one in with a single. A two-out single by Robbie Garvey, the ninth man in the order, drove in two more runs for a 6-0 lead.
Mittelstaedt picked up the first of his four hits on the day with a leadoff homer in the second inning and the Rattlers (31-28) were up 7-0.
Wisconsin kept the pressure on in the fourth inning. Nick Shawn drove in a run with a single. Cody Hawn was next and he drove a three-run home run over the Miller High Life Home Run Porch in right-center for an 11-0 Wisconsin advantage.
The Captains broke through in the top of the fifth against Dunn. A one-out, two-run home run by LeVon Washington cut Wisconsin's led to 11-2. The home run also ended Dunn's scoreless innings streak at 18-2/3 innings.
Dunn went five innings, gave up six hits, walked one, and struck out four in the game for Wisconsin.
Shaw got both runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run that made the score 13-2.
Chris Dennis capped the scoring for the game with a line drive home run in the bottom of the eighth. Dennis has five home runs this season after that blast.
The last time Wisconsin had 20 hits in a game was on August 5, 2007. The Rattlers won 19-10 over the Fort Wayne Wizards in that game.
The final game of the series is Thursday night. The Rattlers have not named a starter for the game yet. Lake County will send Kyle Blair (3-3, 5.37) to the mound. Game time is 7:05pm.
Dennis Haskins, who played Mr. Belding on Saved by the Bell, is making a personal appearance for Educator Appreciation Night presented by School House on Thursday night. Haskins will be available for autographs, throw out a first pitch, sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and host post-game karaoke. As part of Educator Appreciation Night, educators will receive $1 off a box seat or a reserved bleacher seat ticket when they show their ID.
The regular Slugger's Sports Bar Thirsty Thursday presented by 101.1, WIXX promotion means that 22 ounce Pepsi products and 16 ounce Miller products are available for $2. Redeem a Thursday night game ticket at Slugger's, located inside Super Bowl on Northland Avenue, for a chance to win great prizes from Miller Lite.
Also, the first 1,000 fans will a team photo of the 2011 Timber Rattlers upon entering the stadium.
If you can't make it out to Time Warner Cable Field, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or timberrattlers.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm.
HOME RUNS:
LC:
LeVon Washington (1st, 1 on in 5th inning, off Jameson Dunn, 1 out)
WI:
TJ Mittelstaedt (4th, 0 on in 2nd inning, off Steven Wright, 0 out)
Cody Hawn (4th, 2 on in 4th inning, off Steven Wright, 0 out)
Nick Shaw (2nd, 1 on in 5th inning, off Nate Striz, 1 out)
Chris Dennis (5th, 0 on in 8th inning, off Dale Dickerson, 1 out)
WP: Jameson Dunn (2-0)
LP: Steven Wright (1-2)
TIME: 2:40
ATTN: 2,573