Late Cedar Rapids Rally Sinks Rattlers

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lost a late lead at Perfect Game Field on Thursday night and dropped a 7-6 decision to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The loss spoiled a pretty good night at the plate for Rattlers infielder Tucker Neuhaus, who went 4-for-4 with a homer and three runs scored.

Lewin Diaz, who had grounded into two double plays on Wednesday night against the Rattlers, gave the Kernels (46-39 overall, 7-8 second half) a 1-0 lead with a long home run to right field with two outs in the bottom of the first. The homer was the tenth of the season for Diaz.

Wisconsin (39-50, 7-8) went in front in the top of the second inning. Ronnie Gideon's two-run double with one out put the Rattlers up 2-1. Later in the inning, Carlos Belonis got Gideon home with a fielder's choice for a 3-1 advantage.

The Kernels came back to tie the game in the bottom of the second on back-to-back solo homers by Andre Jernigan and Christian Cavaness.

Segovia put the Rattlers back into the lead with an RBI single in the third inning that drove in Mario Feliciano home from second base. Wisconsin loaded the bases with one out in the inning, but left all three runners stranded.

Cedar Rapids used the home run to tie the game 4-4 when Hank Morrison hit the first pitch of the bottom of the third over the wall in left for his fourth homer of the season.
There was an eight-minute delay after the end of the third inning as plate umpire Nick Susie left the game and a replacement umpire got suited up to step behind the plate.

Neuhaus cranked his twelfth home run of the season with one out in the top of the fifth inning and the Rattlers had a 5-4 lead. Neuhaus was 3-for-3 after that homer. He had a single and a double in his first two at bats.

Jordan Desguin, the Wisconsin starting pitcher, left after five innings. He allowed four solo homers, but retired the final nine batters he faced as he turned that lead over to the Wisconsin bullpen.

Joe Cronin greeted Rattlers reliever Aaron Myers with a leadoff double, but Myers worked around that and would pitch a scoreless seventh.

Wisconsin added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning. Neuhaus started the inning with a single. An error on a sacrifice bunt by Segovia allowed Neuhaus to take third base. Gideon drove in Neuhaus with a single and the Rattlers were up 6-4.  

Myers walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the eighth and was replaced by Luke Barker. Cronin greeted Barker with a double to left to put the tying runs in scoring position. Barker struck out the next batter, but Cavaness fouled off four different two-strike pitches before lining a single to left center to score a run and move the tying run to third base. Cavaness would steal second with Gorge Munoz at the plate, but Barker got Munoz on a strikeout.

Aaron Whitefield was next and he lined the first pitch of his at bat into left to score both runners and the Kernels had a 7-6 lead, their first lead since the first inning.

Wisconsin went down in order in the top of the ninth and missed on their chance to sweep the Kernels in Cedar Rapids for the first time since 2007.

The loss dropped the Timber Rattlers record on the road trip to 4-3. They split four games at Beloit and took two of three from the Kernels.
The Timber Rattlers will begin a brief, four-game series at home against the Burlington Bees on Friday night. Victor Diaz (0-3, 6.60) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Jose Suarez (1-1, 6.64) is the scheduled starter for the Bees. Game time is 7:05pm.
Friday night is Princess Night presented by Citgo with a pregame tea party. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers invite Storybook Princesses to come to their games and meet our young fans for Princess night with Citgo. It is also an Arty's Old Fashioned Friday presented by WIXX with Arty's Old Fashioned drinks will be available to fans 21 and over for $3 on an Arty's Old Fashioned Friday presented by WIXX. Stick around after the game to enjoy a FOX11 postgame fireworks display. Children 14 and under may participate in Kids Run the Bases thanks to Menasha Corporation after the fireworks display.
If you can't make it out to the game, the radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:45pm. The broadcast is also available on TuneIn Radio, IHeartRadio, and MiLB.tv.