Bandits Hold on to Beat Wisconsin
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fell behind by just a little too much against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin staged a comeback from a 5-1 deficit but fell just short in a 5-4 loss to
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fell behind by just a little too much against the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin staged a comeback from a 5-1 deficit but fell just short in a 5-4 loss to the Bandits.
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Robert Moore put the Timber Rattlers (11-26) in the lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. The homer was Moore’s third of the season.
Moore goes deep into left field for his THIRD home run this season. #homerun #tratnation 💣🔥
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 20, 2023
T-Rats 1⃣ | River Bandits 0⃣ pic.twitter.com/4RKrPr20S0
The River Bandits (17-21) rallied for three runs after two outs in the top of the second inning against Wisconsin starting pitcher Cameron Wagoner. Enrique Valdez singled up the middle with two outs and runners on the corners to tie the game. A walk to the next batter loaded the bases. Then, River Town singled to right to score two runners for a 3-1 lead.
Kale Emshoff hit a solo homer with two outs in the top of the third inning and Quad Cities was up 4-1.
A wild pitch from Wisconsin reliever Russell Smith in the top of the fourth inning let Valdez score from third to give the Bandits their fifth run of the game.
Wisconsin scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alex Hall walked, went to second on a grounder, and took third on a wild pitch. Eric Brown Jr drove in Hall with a sacrifice fly.
Hall was the final batter faced by Quad Cities starting pitcher Tyson Guerrero, who struck out nine and walked two over four innings of work.
The Timber Rattlers made it a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Wander Arias. Hall struck out but reached on a wild pitch. Jose Acosta followed by launching a long home run to right-center and the Rattlers were down 5-4. Moore drew a walk with one out later in the inning, but Arias got a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
ACOSTA WITH A BOMB TO CENTER FIELD. #TRatNation
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 20, 2023
T-Rats4⃣ | River Bandits 5⃣ pic.twitter.com/A1Vm3OAzg1
Wisconsin kept the pressure on when Eduardo García singled with two outs in the eighth and Hall drew a lead-off walk in the ninth. However, the River Bandits bullpen held on to send the Rattlers to their sixth straight loss.
The series finale is Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Stiven Cruz (1-2, 6.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Mason Barnett (1-1, 3.45) is set to start for Quad Cities. Game time is 1:10pm CDT.
Former Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy is coming back to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium for this game, and you will have a chance to get an autograph from him before the game starts. If you are one of the first 1,000 fans to attend this game, you will receive a Jonathan Lucroy Bobblehead that commemorates his rehab appearance with the Rattlers back in 2012 courtesy of Werner Electric.
Fans will be allowed on the outfield from noon to 12:30 to play catch prior to this game courtesy of Bug Tussel. During the game, Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their 2023 Brewers-themed jerseys and caps as well. Players will be available for autographs with fans in a postgame autograph session.
If you can’t make it out to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 6:20pm. Fans can listen on the radio, on the First Pitch app, or at this link. The internet video feed is available to subscribers of Bally Live, too.