Wisconsin sqeezes out a win
The teams traded rallies early in the game.
Wisconsin (19-38 second half, 50-73 overall) went first with a four run first inning. Daniel Carroll walked to start the game and stole second. Then, Alex Meneses reached on an error on starting pitcher Tyson Ross that also moved Carroll to third base. A passed ball with Blake Ochoa at the plate let Carroll cross the plate and move Meneses into scoring position.
Ochoa singled in Meneses for a 2-0 lead. Then, Joe Dunigan singled and Alex Liddi was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Joe White drew a walk to force in a run and an RBI grounder by Denny Almonte knocked in the final run of the inning.
Rattler starter Juan Ramirez pitched a scoreless first, but loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning. Cougar catcher Petey Paramore lined a three-run double to the gap in right-center to cut the Rattler lead to 4-3.
The Rattlers stretched the lead back out with a pair of RBI hits in the top of the fourth inning. Carroll's two-out RBI triple sent Almonte home. Moments later, Meneses doubled to right-center and Carroll scored for a 6-3 lead.
Ramirez worked his way through jams in the fourth and fifth innings and kept the Cougars off the board. He allowed five hits, walked four, and struck out two. But, he made it through five innings to qualify for the win.
Wisconsin rewarded the Rattler starting pitcher with a run in the top of the sixth to make the score 7-3. Ochoa grounded into a double play with runners at first and third to send home a run.
The Rattler bullpen got off to a good start as Ryan Moorer tossed a perfect bottom of the sixth. But, the seventh did not go nearly as well.
The first three batters of the inning reached on a double, a hit batsman, and a single to load the bases. Moorer got the first out, but walked Larry Cobb to force in a run. Justin Frash was next and his single knocked in two runs, put runners on the corners, and made the score 7-6.
Jake Smith squibbed a slow roller back to the mound and the Rattlers were unable to turn two and end the inning. Cobb scored from third to tie the game at seven.
Kane County (27-30, 67-58) nearly won the game in the bottom of the eleventh. Cobb was at second with one out. Jake Smith, who had driven in the winning runs in the bottom of the ninth for the Cougars on Saturday, singled sharply to center. Carroll fielded the ball cleanly and threw a one hop strike to the plate. Ochoa caught the ball and Cobb crashed into the Rattler catcher. But, Ochoa held on for out number two and the game continued. But, not before Ochoa was replaced by Israel Nunez behind the plate.
Ochoa, who stayed down for a few moments after showing the ball to the plate umpire, eventually got to his feet and walked to the Rattler dugout under his own power.
Wisconsin got the lead back in the top of the thirteenth against Scott Deal. Terry Serrano reached on a bunt single to start the inning. White singled to put runners on first and second. Almonte dropped a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. The Cougars elected to walk Diaz intentionally to load the bases and set up the double play. That set the stage for Mendez.
Serrano broke for the plate on the first pitch Deal threw to Mendez. Serrano scored easily when Mendez got the bunt down and the Rattlers were up 8-7.
Dunbar pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the thirteenth to complete his three innings of scoreless work out of the bullpen and give the Rattlers a win to snap a three-game losing streak.
The final game of the four-game series is Tuesday afternoon at Elfstrom Stadium. Phillippe Aumont (4-4, 2.79) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Jamie Richmond (7-9, 4.74) is the scheduled starter for the Cougars. Game time is 1:00pm.