Rattlers rout Bees 9-3
GRAND CHUTE, WI - Victor Roache led Wisconsin's 11-hit attack with three hits and three RBI on Saturday night against the Burlington Bees. Wisconsin would build an early 9-1 lead and they cruised to a 9-3 win despite six errors at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
Tyrone Taylor singled with two outs and none on in the bottom of the first. Roache followed and drove a home run over the 16'-high wall in center. The home run was the fifteenth of the season for Roache and gave the Rattlers (43-56 overall, 14-20 second half) a 2-0 lead. Mike Garza followed with a single to right that eluded Chevy Clarke and allowed Garza to take third. Garrett Cooper was next and his sinking line drive glanced off the glove of a diving Exicardo Cayones for an RBI double and a 3-0 lead.
Burlington (39-60, 13-21) came back with a run in the third inning. Sherman Johnson singled with two outs. Then, Pedro Tiribio doubled to left to drive in Johnson.
Wisconsin added to their lead in the bottom of the third. Burlington starting pitcher Nic DellaTorre retired the first two batters of the frame, but walked Roache and Garza on eight straight pitches. Cooper followed with a triple to right-center for a 5-1 advantage.
The Rattlers poured on the offense in the bottom of the fifth. Roache drove in a run with a single. Garza would single to load the bases. Cooper grounded into a 5-3 double play to score a runner from third base. Parker Berberet was next and he cracked a home run to left. The two-run blast put the Rattlers up 9-1.
Jorge Lopez, the Wisconsin starting pitcher, left after five innings. He allowed one run on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Burlington got an unearned run in the top of the sixth off reliever Taylor Mangum. Cayones reached on an error to start the inning. Johnson singled with two outs and Cayones on third base to drive in Burlington's second run of the game.
The Bees made it 9-3 in the top of the eighth inning. Tiribio singled with two outs to drive in Riley Good. But, that was as close as the Bees would get in the game.
Mangum worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the season. Mangum struck out four over his four innings of work
Game two of the series is Sunday afternoon. Austin Ross (0-0, 7.11) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Reed Scoggins (1-4, 3.83) is set to go for the Bees. Game time is 1:05pm.
Sunday is a Brewers Sunday presented by 107.5, The Fan. Tom Haudricourt, author of 100 Things Brewers Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, will be signing his book from noon until 2:30pm. The book will be available at the stadium. Also, Timber Rattlers players and coaches will be wearing Brewers-themed jerseys during the game.
Fans may play catch on the field for thirty minutes starting at noon. Timber Rattlers players will be available for an autograph session on the third base concourse after the game. Time Warner Cable customers can receive up to four half-priced reserved bleacher tickets when showing their TWC bill at time of ticket purchase.
If you can't make it out to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio.com starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:45pm. Sunday's game is also available to subscribers of MiLB.TV.
HOME RUNS:
WIS:
Victor Roache (15th, 1 on in 1st inning off Nic DellaTorre, 2 out)
Parker Berberet (6th, 1 on in 5th inning off Alex Blackford, 2 out)
WP: Jorge Lopez (5-6)
LP: Nic DellaTorre (0-4)
SAVE: Taylor Mangum (5)
TIME: 2:43
ATTN: 5,150