Rattlers drop third straight to start 2015

BURLINGTON, IA - The Burlington Bees defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-1 Saturday night at Community Field. The victory allowed the Bees to claim a season-opening sweep of Wisconsin. 

Burlington (3-0) jumped in front by scoring first for the third game in a row. Wisconsin starting pitcher Zach Hirsch hit Jake Yacinich to start the inning. A one out single by Andrew Daniel moved Yacinich to second. Zach Houchins followed with a single to left to drive in Yacinich for a 1-0 lead.

Wisconsin (0-3) came back and loaded the bases on three straight singles to start the second inning. Carlos Leal started the inning with an infield single. Dustin DeMuth and Luis Aviles followed with singles. Greg McCall got Leal home with a slow grounder to second and the only play for the Bees defense was first base.

The Bees went back in front with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Daniel doubled to the corner in left after Hirsch had retired the first two batters of the inning. Houchins lined a single to right and Daniel scored ahead of the throw for a 2-1 advantage.

Bees starting pitcher Jeremy Rhoades went 5-2/3 innings and retired the final 14 batters he faced in the game. Rhoades struck out ten and left with that 2-1 lead.

Hirsch pitched out of a tough jam in the bottom of the sixth inning as he gave up a leadoff double and a wild pitch to put a runner on third with no outs. But, the lefty didn't allow a run as he wrapped his outing with a strikeout. Hirsch struck out eight over his six innings.

The Bees added to their lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Josh Uhen, making his Timber Rattlers debut, hit a batter, gave up a single, and a third batter reached on an error to load the bases with one out. Wisconsin couldn't turn a double play on a grounder to short by Yacinich and one run scored for a 3-1 lead.

Then, Caleb Adams tripled to center to score two more runs and Burlington was up 5-1.

Wisconsin went down quietly in the eighth as reliever Alex Klonowski retired the side in order, including strikeouts of the last two batters to give him three strikeouts in the game.

Eduardo Paredes closed out the game by striking the side in order in the ninth.

Saturday marked the second time in three games Wisconsin hitters struck out sixteen times in a game. The Rattlers have gone down on strikes 43 times in the first 27 innings played this season.

The Timber Rattler return home for a fresh start and to host the Peoria Chiefs in the 2015 Home Opener on Sunday afternoon. Kodi Medeiros, the #1 pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2014 draft, is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Peoria will send Dewin Perez to the mound. Game time at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is 4:05pm.

Sunday is the All-Fan Jonathan Lucroy double bobblehead giveaway courtesy of Cher-Make sausage and Appvion. 

Also on Sunday, fans may play catch on-field courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at 3:00pm; Timber Rattlers players will don their special Brewers Sunday jerseys for the first time this season; and the players will be available for a postgame autograph session. Make sure to grab a 2015 magnet schedule courtesy of Neuroscience Group on your way out of the stadium.

Fans who stay for nine innings on Opening Day will receive a box seat voucher good for any game April 13-16, 2015. Stay for 9 and get a free 9!!

If you can't make it to the game, there are several ways to follow the action. The radio broadcast may be heard on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 3:45pm. Sunday's game is also available over the internet on TuneIn Radio and through MiLB.TV.

WP: Jeremy Rhoades (1-0)
LP: Zach Hirsch (0-1)

TIME: 2:00
ATTN: 865