Late Rally Not Enough for the Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Beloit Sky Carp erased the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers slim 2-1 lead with three runs in the sixth and added to runs in the eighth inning before holding off a furious ninth-inning by the home team at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Sky Carp held on for a 6-4 win over Wisconsin.

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Beloit (13-5) scored in the first inning for the third time in the series. Joe Mack singled with two outs to score Dalvy Rosario, who had doubled to start the game. The Sky Carp have scored four runs in the first inning in the series.

The Timber Rattlers (7-11) came up with a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. Alex Hall drew a walk and Darrien Miller was hit by a pitch. Jose Acosta grounded a single that went off the glove of first baseman Jake Thompson and the glove of second baseman Yiddi Cappe to score Hall.

Ernesto Martinez Jr gave the Rattlers the lead with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the fifth inning. The home run was the third of the season for Martinez.

Ernesto Martinez goes OPPO TACO for his 3rd home run of the season! 🌮 #tratnation pic.twitter.com/b30WcvymLe

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) April 28, 2023

Wisconsin starting pitcher Stiven Cruz worked through five innings and allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Gus Varland took over on the mound for the Rattlers in the top of the sixth and must have felt some déjà vu. Varland, who wound up on the Milwaukee injured list after a 105-mph line drive off the bat of Manny Machado hit him in his pitching hand and in his face back on April 15, had the second pitch he made on Thursday night lined back at his face at 97.5-mph by Jacob Berry. This time the ball hit Varland on the heel of his glove and the left wrist. He got the out at first and stayed in the game.

However, the Sky Carp rallied to take the lead as the next five batters reached with three scoring. Yiddi Cappe reached on a slow dribbler up the third base line. Mack doubled to the corner in left on an 0-2 pitch to score Cappe with the tying run. Jake Thompson drew a walk on a full count. Then, Davis Bradshaw singled to left-center on another 3-2 pitch to score Mack with the go-ahead run. That was the end of the line for Varland.

Ryan Brady entered from the Wisconsin bullpen and gave up an RBI single to Brady Allen on a 2-2 pitch and the Rattlers found themselves trailing 4-2.

The Sky Carp weren’t done. They added two more runs against Joey Matulovich in the top of the eighth inning after a leadoff walk. Thompson tripled to the wall in right to knock in the first run. Allen had an RBI single with one out to account for Beloit’s final run.

Those two insurance runs loomed large in the final score.

In the bottom of the ninth, the first three Rattlers reached against Tyler Eckberg. Miller doubled, Acosta singled, and Martinez drove in Miller with a single to cut the deficit to three runs. Terence Doston stepped to the plate win one out and his grounder near the bag at third was missed by Berry for a two-base error. Acosta scored, Martinez took third and Doston was standing on second as the tying run with at least two cracks for the Rattlers to tie the game and the top of the order coming to the plate.

However, Eckberg found a way through the inning with an infield popout and a routine fly to left to end the game.

The Rattlers have lost four straight games as they have dropped to four games under .500. Beloit still has the best record in the Midwest League. Plus, the Sky Carp have won the last five meetings between the teams.

Game four of the series is Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Tyler Woessner (3-0, 1.69) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has named Zach King as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm.

Fans of legal drinking age may purchase Arty’s Supper Club Cocktails for half-price as part of Supper Club Friday from 101.1 WIXX and Arty’s. After the game, children twelve and under may run the bases courtesy of Menasha Corporation.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, 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.