Rattlers rally, then hold on for game one win

GRAND CHUTE, WI - It took a little bit for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to warm up in game one of Saturday's home doubleheader against the Kane County Cougars.  When they did get going, the Rattlers erased a 4-0 deficit on the way to a 7-6 victory.  Tyrone Taylor had a pair of RBI doubles and Clint Coulter homered to pace the Wisconsin offense.

Rattlers starting pitcher Tyler Wagner walked three batters in the top of the second inning to load the bases.  A sacrifice fly by Oliver Zapata drove in the only run of the inning for Kane County (2-6).

In the third inning, a single and two walks loaded the bases for the Cougars.  Rock Shoulders drove in two runs with a double.  Marco Hernandez made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Wisconsin (3-3) started their comeback in the bottom of the third.  Alfredo Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Michael Reed followed with a single.  Taylor drove in Rodriguez with a double to put the Timber Rattlers on the scoreboard.  Orlando Arcia and Mitch Haniger both plated runs with consecutive sacrifice flies to get Wisconsin to within 4-3.

In the fourth, Jose Sermo tripled with one out.  Rodriguez drove him in with a single through the drawn in infield to tie the game.  One out later Taylor drove in Rodriguez with a double for a 5-4 Wisconsin lead.

Arcia was next and he reached on an infield single up the middle.  Taylor raced around third and beat the throw from the Kane County shortstop.  Arcia's single extended his hitting streak to six games.

Coulter made it a 7-4 Wisconsin advantage with a long home run to left-center.  Coulter has homered in two consecutive games.

Taylor Mangum came on in relief for Wisconsin in the top of the fourth inning and kept the Cougars from scoring until a passed ball with the bases loaded let in a run in the top of the sixth.

Closer Martin Viramontes gave up a leadoff homer in the top of the seventh inning.  Dan Vogelbach lined a home run to right field to cut Wisconsin's lead to a single run.  Jeimer Candelario was next and he doubled.  A walk to Shoulders put runners at first and second with no outs.  Wilson Contreras fouled off a two-strike bunt attempt for the first out, but Viramontes hit the next batter to load the bases.

The Rattlers closer calmed down and struck out the next two Kane County batters to leave the bases loaded and nail down Wisconsin's first home victory of 2013.

HOME RUNS:

KC:
Dan Vogelbach (1^st, 0 in in 7^th inning off Martin Viramontes, 0 out)

WIS:
Clint Coulter (2^nd, 0 on in 5^th inning off Ian Dickson, 1 out)

WP: Taylor Mangum (1-1)
LP: Ian Dickson (0-1)
SAVE: Martin Viramontes (1)

TIME: 2:04