Rattlers Hit Sour Note in Home Finale
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Quad Cities River Bandits followed a familiar pattern in their 15-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Quad Cities scored first, scored, often, and kept the Rattlers from mounting any kind of a comeback to
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Quad Cities River Bandits followed a familiar pattern in their 15-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Quad Cities scored first, scored, often, and kept the Rattlers from mounting any kind of a comeback to record their fifth straight win. The River Bandits have put themselves in position to be Wisconsin’s opponent in the first round of the Midwest League Playoffs with their streak.
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Comments from Hoby Milner and Victor Estevez
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The trouble started in the top of the second inning on a lead-off double by Shervyen Newton against Wisconsin starting pitcher Mark Manfredi. Dustin Dickerson drove in Newton with a single. Manfredi got the second out of the inning on his third strikeout before a single by Omar Hernandez ended Manfredi’s day on his fortieth pitch.
Yerlin Rodriguez entered the game and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. Then, Spencer Nivens double to score two runs and Jac Caglianone followed with another two-run double for a 5-0 lead.
Quad Cities (64-61 overall, 34-26 second half) had two outs with one on in the top of the third with Rodriguez on the mound. By the time the Rattlers found the final out of the inning, six more runs had scored, and they were down 11-0. The seeds were planted when Rodriguez walked the number eighth and number nine hitters in the River Bandits lineup with two outs to load the bases. Justin Johnson doubled to left to score all three runners on base. An error on Jesus Chirinos on a grounder that should have ended the inning let Johnson score. Caglianone chased Rodriguez from the game with a single on the 55th pitch thrown by Rodriguez.
Bayden Root relieved Rodriguez but walked the first three batters he faced, including two with the bases loaded to force in runs, before getting the final out. The River Bandits had eight consecutive hitters reach base after there were two outs in the inning.
Wisconsin (74-51, 32-27) scored their runs in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Matt Wood and a sacrifice fly from Eduarqui Fernandez.
Wood knocks one in to get the Rattlers on the board.
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) September 1, 2024
River Bandits 11 |Rattlers 1#tratnation pic.twitter.com/FL2LnDY2hf
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Hoby Milner pitched a perfect fifth inning for the Timber Rattlers on his second rehab assignment with the team. He needed just nine pitches for a pair of weak grounders and strikeout in this performance.
The River Bandits added to their lead on solo homers by Newton and Trevor Werner against Brailin Rodriguez. The scored their final two runs in the eighth inning. Reliever Dikember Sanchez gave up an RBI single to Omar Hernandez. Sanchez appeared to strike out Caglianone for the final out but was called for a balk before the final pitch to let the last run score.
The fifteen runs allowed are the most Wisconsin has given up in a game this season. Quad Cities scored first in all five of their wins in the series.
The West Division’s second half playoff raced has cleared a bit more after Sunday’s results. The Peoria Chiefs lost at Beloit on Sunday afternoon to allow the River Bandits to open a three-game lead on the Chiefs with six games left in the season. Quad Cities returns home on Tuesday to face Beloit while Peoria is back home to take on Lake County, the first half East Division champions. If Quad Cities holds their lead in the West Division through next Sunday, they will host Wisconsin in Game One of the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday, September 10 at Modern Woodmen Park.
The Timber Rattlers start their final regular season series on Tuesday at Cedar Rapids. Stiven Cruz (2-3, 3.86) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Cedar Rapids has named Ty Langenberg (5-2, 4.25) as their starter. Game time at Rise2Greatness Field is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show set to start at 6:15pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.