Rattlers stage ridiculous ninth inning rally for win
GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers stunned the Beloit Snappers with a five run ninth inning for a 6-5 victory on Monday night at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. This was the second time in just over a week Wisconsin has scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win a game 6-5.
Chris McFarland gave Wisconsin (47-61 overall, 18-25 second half) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. He cracked a single to center with two outs to drive in Garrett Cooper.
Beloit (65-48, 22-21) evened the game in the top of the fifth inning. Ryan Mathews hit a home run with two out and none on base on a 2-0 pitch from Rattlers starting pitcher Tyler Wagner.
Wagner went six innings, allowed one run on three hits, struck out four, and walked none. But, he left with the game tied 1-1 and had a no decision.
Mathews doubled with one out in the top of the eighth against Wisconsin reliever Harvey Martin. He was still at second with two outs and Aaron Shipman at the plate. Martin got a grounder to second, but the ball went under McFarland's glove and into right-center to let Mathews score the go ahead run.
Beloit tacked on three more two-out runs in the top of the ninth inning. They had two on base with Matt Olson at the plate. Olson cracked a 2-1 pitch from Martin to the beach beyond the wall in right-center and the Snappers were up 5-1.
Dakota Bacus, the Snappers starting pitcher, went back out for the bottom of the ninth inning. Victor Roache was the leadoff batter for the Rattlers and demolished an 0-1 pitch from Bacus deep into the night for a home run to cut the lead to 5-2. The home run was the eighteenth of the season for Roache, who has homered in each of his last three games.
Cooper continued the rally with a sharp single to left field and that knocked Bacus out of the game.
Tyler Vail threw a wild pitch with Parker Berberet at the plate to get Cooper to second base. Vail would strike out Berberet for the first out of the inning. Berberet finished the game 0-for-3 with a hit batsman to see his hitting streak end at 19 games.
Max Walla was next and a wild pitch sent Cooper to third. Then, Walla singled up the middle to drive in Cooper to make the score 5-3.
McFarland continued the rally with a single to move Walla to second. Orlando Arcia doubled to right to drive in Walla, send McFarland to third, and make the score 5-4.
The Snappers brought the infield in for Alfredo Rodriguez, who hit the ball sharply at the shortstop. The throw home got McFarland by a lot for the second out of the inning.
Michael Reed stepped in with runners at the corners and two outs. He blooped a single the dropped between the third baseman and shortstop in short left to drive in Arcia with the tying run. Rodriguez noticed that no one was covering third base and he kept running. Vail raced to third to cover the bag, but the throw from left was off target. Rodriguez scored the winning run and the Rattlers celebrated the unlikely walkoff win.
The Rattlers also beat Burlington 6-5 with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, July 28.
The final game of the four game series is set for Tuesday afternoon. Wisconsin has Jorge Lopez (5-7, 5.42) scheduled to start for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has Andres Avila (4-2, 5.05) as their scheduled starter. Game time is 12:05pm.
Magnet number three in the series of four that are being given away this season by Lamers Bus Lines features Timber Rattlers outfielder Tyrone Taylor. The first 500 fans to attend this game will receive this magnet. Show your business card at the box office on Tuesday and you will receive a box seat ticket, your choice of beverage, and your choice of brat or hotdog for $11.50 from Baker Tilly, WNAM, and WVBO. This offer is also available to fans 55 & older.
If you can't make it to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame show at 11:45am. Tuesday's game is also available on MiLB.tv.
HOME RUNS:
BEL:
Ryan Mathews (11th, 0 on in 5th inning off Tyler Wagner, 2 out)
Matt Olson (15th, 2 on in 9th inning off Harvey Martin, 2 out)
WIS:
Victor Roache (18th, 0 on in 9th inning off Dakota Bacus, 0 out)
WP: Harvey Martin (2-2)
LP: Tyler Vail (5-4)
TIME: 2:26
ATTN: 3,548