Kernels Fifth Inning Too Much for Timber Rattlers

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday night at Rise 2 Greatness Field only to see the Kernels rally for four runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Kernels bullpen shut down the Wisconsin offense and added a late insurance run for a 6-2 victory to knock the Rattlers 3-1/2 games out of a playoff spot with 21 games remaining in the season.

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Luis Lara started the game with an infield single and took second on a throwing error on the play. Mike Boeve was at the plate with two outs and Lara still at second when he sent a slow chopper to third. Boeve beat the throw to first and advanced on an error as Lara scored to put the Rattlers (22-23 second half, 48-61 overall) up 1-0.

The Kernels (28-17, 68-43) tied the game in the bottom of the first inning, Jorel Ortega, who committed two errors in the top of the first inning, sent a fly ball to right with two outs and a runner at second. Instead of the final out, the ball was missed for an RBI double to even the score.

Je’Von Ward crushed the first pitch of the top of the fifth inning for a long home run to right-center. Ward’s eighth homer of the season put the Rattlers back in front with a 2-1 score.

Cedar Rapids rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Misael Urbina started the inning with a double and took third on a deep fly to center. Wisconsin starting pitcher Alexander Cornielle hit Mikey Perez on a 2-1 pitch. Then, Perez stole second with Ben Ross at the plate. Ross tied the game with a sharp single to left. Cornielle got the second out of the inning when second baseman Jheremy Vargas made a diving stop of a grounder heading for right field and turned it into an out at first, but Emmanuel Rodriguez picked up an RBI to give the Kernels a 3-2.

Cornielle got ahead of Kalai Rosario with two quick strikes. Rosario fouled the next pitch off before lining the fourth pitch of the sequence over the wall in left for his seventeenth home run of the season. This two-run blast gave the Kernels a 5-2 lead.

Jordan Carr, who has not allowed an earned run in a game since May 20, took over on the mound for the Kernels and tossed a perfect top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Kernels threatened to add to their lead against reliever Karlos Morales as a misplay on a hit to right turned into a lead-off triple. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Cedar Rapids. Morales got the first out with a strikeout before Tanner Shears was called into the game. He threw one pitch and got Mikey Perez to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Wisconsin cobbled together a scoring chance in the top of the seventh on a one-out single by Ward and a hit batsman to put Lara on base with two outs. Carr got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Cedar Rapids loaded the bases again in their half of the seventh as Shears retired the first two batters before walking the next three. He got out of the inning with a strikeout.

The Rattlers repeated their scoring chance against Carr in the top of the eighth. Brock Wilken walked to start the frame and Alex Hall was hit by a pitch with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate. Carr ended the threat with another strikeout, his sixth in three innings to keep the Kernels up by three runs.

The Kernels loaded the bases again in the eighth inning against reliever Miguel Guerrero on a walk, a single, and a walk after there was one out. Rodriguez drove in the insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center. Guerrero issued one more walk to reload the bases. Moore denied the Kernels more runs in the inning when he speared a liner off the bat of Ortega with a dive to the hole at short.

Wisconsin went down quietly in the top of the ninth against AJ Labas.

The Kernels are already in the playoffs as the first half champions of the West Division. The Peoria Chiefs currently hold the second half playoff spot with a 25-19 record. The Chiefs were rained out in Lake County on Thursday night. The Beloit Sky Carp, who entered Thursday night tied with Wisconsin in the standings, lost 5-4 at Quad Cities. The Timber Rattlers and Sky Carp are now 3-1/2 games behind Peoria. The Chiefs will play a single game on Friday and make up Thursday’s rainout as part of a doubleheader on Saturday night.

Game four of the series between Wisconsin and Cedar Rapids is Friday night. Tyler Woessner (5-6, 3.75) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Cory Lewis (4-1, 2.05) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 6:15pm. Fans can listen on the radio, on the First Pitch app, or at this link.