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Early Lead Paces Wisconsin Past Peoria

Rattlers top Chiefs 6-3
April 15, 2023

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Stiven Cruz pitched five scoreless innings and was backed up by six early runs from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers offense as the Rattlers defeated the Peoria Chiefs 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Timber Rattlers have won two straight

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Stiven Cruz pitched five scoreless innings and was backed up by six early runs from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers offense as the Rattlers defeated the Peoria Chiefs 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Timber Rattlers have won two straight games from the Chiefs and have a 3-2 lead in the series with a chance to win the series with a victory in the season finale on Sunday afternoon.

Click here for the boxscore of this game

Click here for the Postgame Podcast to hear from Joe Ayrault and Darrien Miller

Darrien Miller delivered a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the first to put the Rattlers (4-4) up 2-0. Wisconsin has scored first in six of their first eight games in 2023.

In the second, Ernesto Martínez Jr singled and Je’Von Ward doubled to start the inning. Then, Terence Doston sent a grounder to the left of the mound. Peoria starting pitcher Austin Love lunged for the ball and wound up deflecting the ball between short and third for an infield single that scored both runners for a 4-0 lead.

Ben Metzinger added to the Wisconsin lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run double.

Rattlers starting pitcher Stiven Cruz pitched five scoreless innings, walked one, allowed three hits, and struck out four before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Victor Scott II denied the Timber Rattlers insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh inning with a leaping catch against the wall in center. Je’Von Ward sent a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded deep to center, but Scott made the catch and held on as he crashed to the ground to keep the Rattlers lead at 6-0.

The Chiefs (2-5) got on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Jeremy Rivas against Karlos Morales.

Scott struck again with the leather in the bottom of the eighth inning with a leaping catch against the wall by the Peoria bullpen in left-center to take away an RBI hit from Gray and end the frame.

Peoria was jump-started by this catch as the first three batters of the top of the ninth reached against Joey Matulovich allowed a walk, an RBI double to Osvaldo Tovalin, and an RBI single to Nathan Church to cut Wisconsin’s lead to 6-3 with no outs.

Kaleb Bowman took over for Matulovich and ended the game facing just two batters. Bowman got Patrick Romeri to ground into a 4-6-3 double play and Francisco Hernandez to pop out to left to end the game and earn his third save of the season.

The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. The pitching matchup is a rematch of the first game of the series last Tuesday. Tyler Woessner (1-0, 1.80) is scheduled to start for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria has Trent Baker (0-1, 11.25) as their starter. Game time is 1:10pm.

Bluey and Bingo are heading to the stadium on Sunday. Meet everyone’s favorite Heelers in person for plenty of smiles and a photo! Fans will be allowed on the outfield from noon to 12:30 to play catch prior to this game. During the game, Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their new 2023 Brewers-themed jerseys and caps as part of a Brewers Sunday presented by 107.5 The Fan. Players will be available for autographs with fans in a postgame autograph session courtesy of Tundraland.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 12:50pm. Fans can listen on the radio, on the First Pitch app, or at this link.

Sunday’s game is also on CW-14 with the broadcast starting at 1:00pm. Subscribers to the Bally Live app can also watch the game streaming over the internet.