Rattlers End First Half With Loss at Kane County

GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a lead over the Kane County Cougars at Northwestern Medicine Field on Sunday afternoon. But, the playoff-bound Cougars rallied to take the lead and held on to defeat the Rattlers 6-2.

Kane County (39-28) , as they have in eight of the nine meetings between the teams this season, scored first. Ramon Hernandez and Manny Jefferson singled to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Thomas Jankins got the next batter to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. However, Fernery Ozuna was next and he drove in Hernandez from third with a single and the Cougars were up 1-0.

Wisconsin (26-42) rallied against Mack Lemieux in the fifth inning and took the lead. Caleb Whalen singled and AJ Murray doubled to start the inning. Jose Cuas got Whalen home with a grounder to short and that tied the game 1-1. Trey York put the Timber Rattlers in front with a two-out single to right that scored Murray.

The Timber Rattlers lead did not last long.

Reliever Parker Berberet got the first out in the bottom of the fifth inning, but gave up three straight singles to load the bases. Berberet appeared to get out of the inning when Adam Walton sent a grounder to short. Wisconsin got the force at second, but Walton was called safe at first to allow the tying run to score. 

Fernery Ozuna put the Cougars back in front with a two-run triple to center. Jose Queliz capped the inning with an RBI double and Kane County was up 5-2.

Kane County added to their lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Jefferson.

Emilio Vargas, who took over for Lemieux to start the top of the sixth inning, close out the game with four scoreless, hitless innings. The only base runner Wisconsin got against Vargas was when York walked with one out in the eighth. But, Vargas got the next batter to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Speaking of double plays, the Timber Rattlers defense turned four of them in the game, but it was the one that got away in the fifth inning that hurt them.

The Timber Rattlers closed out the first half of the season with a ten-game losing streak. They have also lost their last thirteen road games in a row.

Kane County was 8-1 in nine games against Wisconsin in the first half of the season.
The Timber Rattlers and Cougars will be off for the next three days for the 2017 Midwest League All-Star Break. The teams will reconvene at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Thursday to start the second half with the first game of a four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.

Thursday is the first of two straight Peanut-Free Nights hosted by the Timber Rattlers. No peanuts will be allowed into the stadium to allow fans with peanut allergies to attend this game. 

Thursday is also Dinosaur Night at the ballpark. Buddy from the PBS Kids' show Dinosaur Train will be at the game to meet with his fans. Rocco the T-Rex is going to be at the game, too. Additionally, Wisconsin-Oshkosh paleontologist Dr. Joseph Peterson will have fossils and photos from his dig sites for you to see. There are also plans for some other prehistoric surprises for fans both young and young-at-heart from Special Memories Petting Zoo. 

Fans of legal drinking age may enjoy 12-ounce craft beers for $2. Cher-Make brats are also just $2 and they are available for everyone. Beers from Fox River Brewing Company, Badger Club Amber, and many, many more will be available as part of Craft Brews and Brats Thursday with Y100. Present the ticket to this game at World of Beer after the game and receive a free beer there.
If you can't make it to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:45pm. The broadcast is also available on TuneIn Radio, IHeartRadio, and MiLB.tv. Thursday's game will also be broadcast on Spectrum Sports starting at 7:00pm.