Bees Sweep Doubleheader and Series from Rattlers with 9-4 Win in Nightcap

BURLINGTON, IA - The Burlington Bees completed their five-game sweep of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with a 9-4 win in game two of Thursday's doubleheader at Community Field. Burlington had rallied to win game one of Thursday's twinbill 6-4 earlier in the evening.

Wisconsin charged to the lead in the top of the first inning in game two. Demi Orimoloye started the game with a triple into the corner in left. Joantgel Segovia got Orimoloye home with an RBI grounder for the 1-0 lead. Monte Harrison was next and he crushed a solo homer to left for a 2-0 lead. The homer was the eleventh of the season for Harrison.

Burlington stormed back to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Derek Jenkins reached on a single with one out. Keith Grieshaber launched a two-run homer to tie the game. Sam McDonnel walked a stole second, but Rattlers starting pitcher David Burkhalter got the second out of the inning on a strikeout. But, the third out was elusive.

Roberto Baldoquin put the Bees in front with a double down the line in right. Burkhalter got the next batter to send a grounder to third, but Tucker Neuhaus mishandled the ball for an error and that put runners on the corners. John Schuknecht was next and he cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left to give the Bees a 6-2 lead.

The Rattlers chipped away with an unearned run in the fourth inning when Trey York scored from first on a dropped fly ball with two outs by Jenkins in center field.

Wisconsin looked like they had a big inning brewing in the top of the fifth against reliever Greg Belton. Segovia singled with one out and Harrison ripped a double to left to put runners on second and third. Neuhaus followed with a sharp single to right to score Segovia and the Rattlers were within two runs with runners at the corners with one out.

However, with Neuhaus running on a 3-2 pitch, York struck out swinging and interfered with Burlington catcher Mario Sanjur. That interference meant that Neuhaus was out and the inning ended with the Rattlers trailing 6-4.

The Bees again made the Rattlers pay for the missed opportunity.

Baldoquin was at second with two outs and reliever Aaron Myers on the mound for Wisconsin. Schuknecht lined a double to right to score Baldoquin. Juan Moreno followed by lining an RBI double to left. Sanjur made it 9-4 in favor of Burlington with a single to right to score Moreno.

Belton would close out the game be retiring the Timber Rattlers in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Bees swept the five-game series at Community Field and have won seven straight games overall.

Wisconsin has lost seven straight games for the second time this season.
The Timber Rattlers continue their final road trip of the first half of the season with a game against the Kane County Cougars in Geneva, Illinois on Friday night. Victor Diaz (0-1, 6.89) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Cougars will counter with Sam Lewis (0-1, 4.36). Game time is 6:30pm.
he radio broadcast of Tuesday's game is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:10pm. The broadcast is also available on TuneIn Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers to MiLB.TV may watch the game that way.