Missed Opportunities Haunt Rattlers
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a great start. The Beloit Sky Carp had a better finish. The Rattlers had two runs in, and the bases loaded with no outs in the first inning but could not add on to their advantage. The Sky Carp broke a
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a great start. The Beloit Sky Carp had a better finish. The Rattlers had two runs in, and the bases loaded with no outs in the first inning but could not add on to their advantage. The Sky Carp broke a 3-3 tie with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings before putting the game away in the ninth to beat Wisconsin 10-3 on Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field.
Wisconsin (37-41 overall, 3-10 second half) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning with the first five hitters reaching base. Eduardo Garcia and Blake Burke walked to start the inning. Jadher Areinamo singled to drive in Garcia. Hedbert Pérez drew a walk to load the bases. Juan Baez followed with a single to left to score Burke.
Beloit starting pitcher Karson Milbrandt was on the ropes, but escaped further damage with a strikeout, a play at the plate on a grounder to first, and a pickoff at first courtesy of his catcher Garret Forrester.
In the Rattlers second inning, they would load the bases with two outs. Blayberg Diaz started the inning by reaching on an error with Burke and Areinamo coming up with two-out singles. Milbrandt escaped with a strikeout.
The fourth inning followed a similar pattern as Diaz singled with one out, Eduardo Garcia reached on an error and Burke hit a sharp single to load the bases. The Rattlers appeared poised to blow open the game. Areinamo sent a fly ball to left field that was deep enough to score Diaz from third without a play.
However, Garcia tagged from second with an attempt to take third base. Garcia was out on a strong throw from Jesús Hernandez with the tag on Garcia happening well before Diaz crossed home plate to prevent the Rattlers from adding to their lead.
The Sky Carp (38-41, 8-5) struggled early against Wisconsin starting pitcher Jaron DeBerry. In the top of the fifth, DeBerry gave up a lead-off single and hit a batter with one out. Luiyin Alaste made a fine running catch on a deep fly to right for the second out of the inning and there was a way out for DeBerry and the Rattlers.
Then, Eric Rataczak hit the next pitch into the Wisconsin bullpen for a three-run home and a 3-2 lead.
DeBerry allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over six innings but left with the Rattlers still down by a run.
Garcia brought Wisconsin back to even in the bottom of the sixth inning on a home run to the Beloit bullpen against Brayan Mendoza. Garcia’s twelfth home run of the season gave the Rattlers some life.
GARCIA starts the fireworks early and ties the game ‼️🔥💣🦅🎆
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) July 5, 2025
Rattlers 3 | Sky Carp 3 #tratnation pic.twitter.com/oNJeGzy8D3
Beloit went back in front in the top of the seventh. Reliever Patricio Aquino hit Emaarion Boyd with one out. Hernandez followed with a single. The duo pulled a double steal and Rataczak took advantage with a sacrifice fly to left to score Boyd with the go-ahead run.
The Sky Carp added an additional run in the eighth inning. Jay Beshears doubled. Gage Miller singled to drive in Beshears.
In the top of the ninth inning, Yerlin Rodriguez took over for Aquino and struggled to throw strikes. A hit batsman and two walks without a strike loaded the bases. Garret Forrester walked on a 3-1 pitch to force in the first run. Rodriguez hit Beshears to score the second run with a four-pitch walk to Miller allowing the third run to score. Rodriguez got the first out of the inning as Brock Vradenburg grounded into a force play at second that scored the fourth run of the inning. Echedry Vargas made it a five-run inning with an RBI single.
Burke drew a walk in the ninth, but that was the extent of the Wisconsin comeback on Friday night.
Areinamo and Burke led Wisconsin with two hits. Both have 22 multi-hit games this season for the Rattlers.
Wisconsin stranded ten runners while going 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Beloit left ten men on base while going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Game two of the series is Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field. Tanner Gillis (1-1, 1.89) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has named Luke Lashutka (0-2, 16.62) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:40pm.
Home Runs in Paradise are on tap for Margaritaville Night on Saturday with a laid-back ticket package that includes a ticket to the game, food, beverages, and a Timber Rattlers Straw Hat that is available at this link. There will be a lot of action after the final out with post-game fireworks, a post-game concert by The Boat Drinks, and Kids Run the Bases presented by Meijer.
Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear Military Appreciation jerseys for this game. The jerseys are available in online auctions at this link. Both auctions end on Sunday, July 6 with one auction ending at 6:30pm and the other auction ending at 7:00pm. Proceeds from the auctions go to Timber Rattlers Give Back, the official 501(c)3 of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
If you can’t make it to the ballpark, there are several ways to follow the action. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starts with the pregame show at 6:20pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live.