Rattlers drop Dragons 6-2
DAYTON, OH - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored three runs in the first inning at Fifth Third Field and never looked back. Tyler Wagner and Harvey Martin held the Dayton Dragons to a pair of runs as Wisconsin snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win.
Wisconsin (41-52 overall, 12-16 second half) grabbed the lead with three runs in the top of the first inning. Michael Reed tripled with one out and Tyrone Taylor was hit by a pitch. Victor Roache was at the plate and Dayton starting pitcher Amir Garrett uncorked a wild pitch to let Reed score and send Taylor to second. Roache followed with an RBI single to left to drive in Taylor. Garrett threw another wild pitch to send Roache to second, walked Garrett Cooper, and threw a third wild pitch in the inning to put runners on second and third. Mike Garza drove in Roache with a grounder to the right side and the Rattlers were up 3-0.
Dayton (43-55, 15-14) got a run Tyler Wagner in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tanner Rahier homered to left-center to lead off the inning and cut Wisconsin's lead to 3-1. Adam Matthews followed with a walk. Beau Amaral would single with one out to put the tying runs on base. But, Wagner ended the rally by getting Sammy Diaz to ground into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play. That put Wagner in line for his eighth win of the season.
The Rattlers added to their lead in the top of the sixth. Garrett Cooper reached on an error with one out and was still at first base with two away. Parker Berberet kept the inning going with a single to left. Orlando Arica followed with a single up the middle and the Rattlers were up 4-1. Chris McFarland made it 5-1 with a double to right-center that scored Berberet.
Martin took over for Wagner in the bottom of the sixth. He allowed a walk and a single with one out in the sixth, but got out of the inning with a strikeout and a grounder to first. Martin would set down the side in order in the seventh and ran his streak of consecutive Dragons retired to seven as he got the first two outs of the eighth. But, Seth Mejias-Brean drilled a home run to the bleachers with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to get Dayton to within 5-2.
Wisconsin added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. McFarland reached on an error and stole second. Alfredo Rodriguez sacrificed McFarland to third. A wild pitch let McFarland score to put the Rattlers up 6-2.
Martin tossed a scoreless ninth to lock down his first professional save and the win for Wisconsin. Martin struck out five, walked one, and gave up one run on three hits over four innings.
Game two of the series at Fifth Third Field continues on Sunday afternoon. Jorge Lopez (4-6, 5.43) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Dayton sends Drew Cisco (3-5, 3.61) to the mound. Game time is 1:00pm CDT. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:40pm. Sunday's game is also available on MiLB.TV.
HOME RUNS:
DAY:
Tanner Rahier (7th, 0 on in 5th inning off Tyler Wagner, 0 out)
Seth Mejias-Brean (5th, 0 on in 8th inning off Harvey Martin, 2 out)
WP: Tyler Wagner (8-7)
LP: Amir Garrett (0-1)
SAVE: Harvey Martin (1)
TIME: 2:45
ATTN: 8,194