Rattlers wrap up 2010 with shutout win

GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are heading into the off season with a win under their belts.  Wisconsin shutout Kane County 7-0 in a Labor Day matinee at Elstrom Stadium to close out the 2010 season.  Nick Bucci allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings to pick up the victory.  Chris Dennis homered and drove in three runs while Kentrail Davis collected three hits to pace a 12-hit day for the Rattlers.

Wisconsin (58-80 overall, 32-38 second half) broke the scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning.  Cutter Dykstra started the inning with a single.  Kentrail Davis was next and his deep fly ball to center was just off the glove of Tyreace House.  Dykstra hustled around to the plate and just beat the throw for the first run of the game.  Davis broke for third on the throw home and scored when the throw to get him went into left field.

The only trouble that Bucci saw on the afternoon was when he gave up a leadoff double to Jason Christian in the bottom of the fifth inning.  But, he worked around the double and kept the Cougars (71-67, 39-30) off the scoreboard.

The Rattler offense rewarded Bucci for his efforts with a four run outburst in the top of the sixth.  Kentrail Davis and Khris Davis started the rally with back-to-back singles.  Hunter Morris followed with a single to plate Kentrail Davis.  Then, Dennis doubled in both Khris Davis and Morris for a 5-0 advantage.  Dennis, who took third on the throw to the plate, would score when he beat a throw home from short after a grounder off the bat of Cameron Garfield and the Rattlers were up 6-0.

Dennis struck again in the top of the eighth.  He launched his eighteenth home run of the season to lead off the eighth.  The three RBI in the game gave Dennis 87 on the season.  Those are the most in a single season by a Timber Rattlers player since Jon Nelson had 91 in 2003.   The Timber Rattlers record for RBI in a season is 107 and is held by Juan Silvestre, who set the mark in 1999.

Matt Costello and Jon Pokorny each pitched a scoreless inning to wrap up the Rattlers victory over the Cougars.

The Timber Rattlers begin the 2011 season on Thursday, April 7 at Time Warner Cable Field.  Their opponents are the Kane County Cougars.  Game time is 6:35pm

                 R  H E
WI 000 204 010 - 7 12 1
KC 000 000 000 - 0  5 3

Click here for a complete boxscore of Monday's game

HOME RUN:
WI:
Chris Dennis (18th, 0 on in 8th inning, off Bo Schultz, 0 out)

WP: Nick Bucci (6-7)
LP: Kenny Smalley (0-2)

TIME: 2:05
ATTN: 5,182