Rattlers jump to big lead, cruise to 10-3 win over Clinton

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have been looking for fast starts to games for the last few weeks. They found one on Sunday and defeated the Clinton LumberKings 10-3 at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. David Denson paced Wisconsin's 12-hit attack with three hits and three RBI.

The Timber Rattlers did something on Sunday that they did not do in the first six games of their homestand. They scored first...and on Sunday, the Rattlers scored often.

Wisconsin scored six times in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead. Michael Ratterree started the rally with a one out single. Jose Pena doubled to left to get Ratterree home. Taylor Brennan drew a walk and David Denson singled to center to score Pena. Chris McFarland was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Clinton starter Rigoberto Garcia got the second out of the inning on a force play at the plate, but he would not get the third out. 

Francisco Castillo singled to drive two runs across the plate and drive Garcia out of the game with Wisconsin leading 4-0.

Angel Ortega greeted reliever Aaron Brooks to the game with another two-run single and the Rattlers were up 6-0.

Denson delivered a two-out RBI single to drive in Ratterree in the bottom of the second inning to push the Rattlers advantage.

Clinton chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth innings off Rattlers starting pitcher Tristan Archer. Joe DeCarlo drew a bases loaded walk with two outs in the third. Ian Miller drove in Zach Shank with a groundout in the fourth.

Brennan gave the Rattlers another run with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.

The LumberKings got to Archer one last time. In the fifth, Burt Reynolds doubled with one out and scored on a single by DeCarlo. Archer tossed five innings and turned the lead over to Trevor Seidenberger.

On Saturday, Wisconsin could not maintain a 12-4 lead and lost 16-13 to the LumberKings. There would be no issues on Sunday. Seidenberger worked three scoreless and struck out three.

Denson added to his RBI total in the bottom of the sixth. Brennan drew a walk to start the inning. Then, Denson smacked a line drive off the 405' sign in deep right-center field for an RBI triple. McFarland drove in Denson with a sacrifice fly to put the Rattlers up 10-3.

Chris Razo recorded the final three outs to close out the game.

Wisconsin wrapped up their seven-game homestand with a 3-4 record.

The Timber Rattlers begin a brief three-game road trip on Monday in Kane County. Anthony Banda (1-3, 3.13) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Tyler Skiluna (1-0, 3.81) is set to start for the Cougars. Game time is 6:30pm. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the pregame show at 6:10pm.

The Rattlers return home on Thursday, May 8 to host the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

WP: Tristan Archer (1-1)
LP: Rigoberto Garcia (0-1)

TIME: 3:04
ATTN: 3,691