Ghelfi Drives in Three for Rattler Victory
GRAND CHUTE, WI - Mitch Ghelfi and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers started their brief four-game homestand against the Peoria Chiefs on the right foot. Ghelfi had three hits and drove in three runs to pace the Rattlers to a 4-2 victory over the Chiefs Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
Peoria (48-38 overall, 8-8 second half) scored a run in the first inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Jake Drossner walked Magneuris Sierra to start the game. He also walked Brian O'Keefe with two outs and Sierra on third base. Chris Chinea reached on an infield single to get Sierra home for the 1-0 lead.
The Rattlers (42-44, 8-8) rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the third. Brandon Diaz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Troy Stokes, Jr., who went 3-for-3 with a walk on Friday night, singled on a hit-and-run play to send Diaz to third. Ghelfi drove in the tying run with a double to right. Stokes scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
Drossner would go five innings and worked around four hits and four walks while only allowing the run in the first inning. He would pick up his third win of the season.
Stokes and Ghelfi combined on a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to add to Wisconsin's lead. Stokes singled with two outs and stole second. Ghelfi singled to center to send Stokes home for a 3-1 advantage.
Chase Williams, the Milwaukee Brewers' 35th round pick in the 2016 draft, made his Midwest League debut when he came on in relief of Drossner to start the sixth inning. Williams allowed two hits and struck out two in two scoreless innings.
Wisconsin loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth inning for Ghelfi. The Rattlers first baseman lined a single to right to drive in his third run of the night and the Rattlers were up 4-1.
Closer Nate Griep entered in the eighth inning and worked the final two innings for his thirteenth save. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Sierra in the top of the ninth, but closed out the game with a strikeout. Griep now leads the Midwest League in saves.
Game two of the series is Saturday night. Corbin Burnes, the 4th round pick of the Brewers in the 2016 draft, will make his Midwest League debut as the starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Juan Perez (3-1, 3.72) is the scheduled starter for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:35pm.
The Storybook Princesses will be at the game to meet with your little princess. Special Memories Petting Zoo is back with another fun, hands-on display. After the game, enjoy a fireworks display courtesy of Festival Foods. Children 14 and under may run the bases courtesy of Tundraland after the fireworks. It is all part of a North Shore Bank Family Night with WIXX.
If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. MyNEW 32's Sports Showdown will televise the game starting at 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on 1280 AM, WNAM starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm. The game is also available on the internet through IHeartRadio, TuneIn, and MiLB.TV.