Rattlers take early lead, but can't hold on

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Clinton LumberKings stayed unbeaten in the second half of the Midwest League season with a 6-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Wednesday night. Dalton Kelly homered and drove in four runs for the LumberKings.

Wisconsin (37-40 overall, 3-4 second half) scored first by stringing together three straight two-out singles. Isan Diaz, who had three hits in the game, started the rally. David Denson followed with his single. Jake Gatewood drove in Diaz with the third single of the inning for a 1-0 lead.

Wisconsin starting pitcher Freddy Peralta kept Clinton (46-31, 7-0) off the scoreboard until the fifth. Luis Liberato singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and stole third. Kelly drove in Liberato with a two-out double.

Clinton went in front in the top of the sixth. Ricky Eusebio tripled with two outs against Wisconsin reliever Nate Griep. Arturo Nieto followed with a double to send Eusebio home with the go-ahead run.

Diaz rallied the Rattlers in the bottom of the sixth. He started the inning with a double. Denson moved Diaz to third with a grounder to the right side. Diaz would score on a passed ball to tie the game.

But, the LumberKings went back in front in the top of the seventh against reliever Miguel Diaz with another two-out RBI hit. Diaz walked Rayder Ascanio with one out and worked the count to 3-2 on Kelly. Ascanio was running on the pitch and Kelly sent a grounder to short. Instead of an inning-ending double play, the only play was to get Kelly at first. Then, Alex Jackson singled to right and Ascanio scored the go-ahead run,

Kelly cracked a long, three-run homer to right in the top of the ninth inning to pull away from the Rattlers.

Wisconsin went down in order in the bottom of the ninth. They are 3-9 in twelve games against the LumberKings this season. That includes a 2-7 record at home against Clinton.

The Timber Rattlers and LumberKings will wrap up their series on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Marcos Diplan (5-2, 1.99) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Clinton will counter with Pablo Lopez (3-0, 1.74). Game time is 7:05pm.

Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear military-themed jerseys during this game for Military Appreciation Night. There will be a silent auction for these jerseys during the game with the proceeds going to the Veterans Emergency Fund.

The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a bobblehead of former Timber Rattler Khris Davis wearing a military appreciation jersey courtesy of American National Bank.

Anyone who shows their military ID or proof of service at the ticket window on Thursday night will receive a free reserved bleacher seat to the game.

Fans of legal drinking age may enjoy 12-ounce craft beers for $2 on Craft Brews & Brats Thursday. Cher-Make brats are also just $2 and they are available for everyone. Beers from Fox River Brewing Company, Fat Tire, and many, many more will be available. Present the ticket to this game at World of Beer after the game and receive a free beer there.

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel will televise the game starting at 7:00pm. The radio broadcast is on 1280 AM, WNAM starting with the pregame show at 6:45pm. The game is also available on the internet through IHeartRadio, TuneIn, and MiLB.TV.