Rattlers rebound with four in seventh to beat Great Lakes
MIDLAND, MI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers bounced back from a 3-0 deficit with a seventh inning rally to defeat the Great Lakes Loons 5-3 Saturday night at Dow Diamond. The Timber Rattlers took advantage of four errors and picked up some clutch pitching and hitting along to the way to the victory.
Wisconsin (38-73 overall, 15-26 second half) had an opportunity to score in the first inning. Elvis Rubio was at second and Francisco Castillo was at first after an error extended the inning. Sthervin Matos singled to center and Rubio headed for home. But, the throw from Alex Verdugo was in time to get Rubio at the plate for the final out of the inning.
Great Lakes 55-55, 17-25) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third inning against Wisconsin starting pitcher Cody Ponce. Willie Calhoun hit a grounder to the right side of the infield. Second baseman Blake Allemand ranged far to his left and tried to throw to second for the force out, but the throw was wild. Verdugo, the runner at second when the play started, took off for the plate, and scored ahead of a wild throw from Matos at third. The errant throw put Loons on second and third with one out.
Ponce minimized the damage by striking out the next two batters and keeping the lead at 2-0.
The Loons added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Verdugo singled to start the inning against reliever Josh Uhen. Kyle Garlick followed with a double into the corner in left to score Verdugo for a 3-0 lead.
Matos started the Wisconsin comeback with a single and a steal of second with one out in the sixth inning against reliever James Campbell. Alan Sharkey singled to left and Matos scored.
The Rattlers offense really got going in the top of the seventh. Mitch Meyer tripled to right to start the inning. Omar Cotto singled to knock in Meyer and the Rattlers were down a run.
Campbell committed a balk to send Cotto to second. Cotto stole third moments later. Blake Allemand tied the game by singling through the drawn-in infield to score Cotto.
Rubio drew a walk and Castillo reached to load the bases when his sacrifice bunt attempt was bobbled by Campbell and all hands were safe. Matos grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to get Allemand home with the go-ahead run. Sharkey was next and his grounder to short was misplayed for an error and Rubio scored to put the Rattlers up 5-3.
David Burkhalter, who came on in the bottom of the sixth inning, pitched three scoreless innings to hold the Loons in check. Burkhalter allowed two hits, hit two batters, and struck out two before turning the game over to Luke Curtis for the ninth. The big pitch for Burkhalter came in the seventh inning when he stranded runners at the corners by getting Justin Chigbogu to look at strike three on the outside corner at the knees for the final out of the frame.
Curtis allowed a one out single, Verdugo's fourth hit of the game, in the ninth before getting Garlick to hit into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play. Curtis earned his fourth save of the season - and second of the road trip - with his scoreless ninth inning.
Wisconsin's pitchers held Great Lakes to 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Saturday night as the Loons left ten men on base.
The final game of the series - and of Wisconsin's nine-game road trip - is set for Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond. The game is scheduled to start at 1:05pm CDT and presents and interesting matchup of starting pitchers.
Wisconsin will send Nathan Kirby (0-0, 0.00) to the mound for his first professional start. Great Lakes has named Josh Sborz (0-1, 6.00) as their starter. Kirby and Sborz were teammates on the University of Virginia that won the 2015 NCAA College World Series on June 24. The Milwaukee Brewers took Kirby with the 40th pick in the 2015 draft. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Sborz with the 74th pick in the 2015 draft.
The action may be heard on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 5:45pm. The broadcast is also available on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. The Loons are also a team that participates in MiLB.TV and fans with subscriptions may watch the game on that platform.
WP: David Burkhalter (4-7)
LP: James Campbell (0-3)
SAVE: Luke Curtis (4)
TIME: 3:03
ATTN: 5,249