Rattlers Fall 4-3 to Beloit on Late Miscues

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers committed two errors in the top of the seventh inning to give the Beloit Sky Carp two unearned runs and the margin of victory Tuesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Sky Carp rallied from a 3-2 deficit for a 4-3 win to put a sour taste on excellent performances by Joseph Hernandez, Eric Brown Jr, and Eduardo García of the Rattlers.

Click here for the boxscore of this game

Beloit (11-5) grabbed an early 2-0 lead on a two-run double by Yiddi Cappe in the first inning.

Wisconsin (7-9) got on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Brown was hit by a pitch to start the inning. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw. Joe Gray Jr knocked in Brown with a sacrifice fly to center.

Brown started a rally with a double in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gray moved Brown to third with a flyball to center. A passed ball by Beloit catcher Bennett Hostetler allowed Brown to score the tying run.

Later in the fifth, García drove in the go-ahead run with a double.

Hernandez, the Wisconsin starting pitcher held the Sky Carp in check after the first inning. He walked one, hit two batters, scattered four hits, and struck out four over six innings before turning the lead over to the bullpen.

However, the Rattlers defense committed two errors to give Beloit the opportunity to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Brown committed an error to allow Hostetler to reach with one out. Reliver Karlos Morales walked the next batter to put the go-ahead run on first base. Morales bounced back to get the second out with a strikeout and made a good pitch to have Davis Bradshaw send a tapper that barely made it in front of the plate. Catcher Darrien Miller pick the ball out of the dirt but fired high to first for an error that let Hostetler score the tying run. Jacob Berry lined the next pitch for an RBI double to the corner in left to put the Sky Carp back in front.

The Rattlers had two runners on base with one out in both the seventh and eighth innings but couldn’t push the tying run across the plate.

Chandler Jozwiak, who pitched around two walks in the eighth, worked a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

Wisconsin stranded thirteen runners and went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday night.

Brown was on base five times in five plate appearances for the Timber Rattlers. He reached on two walks and a single to go along with his double and hit by pitch. He also stole two bases to give him eight steals in nine attempts on the season.

García reached base four times for Wisconsin in five plate appearances. He had two singles and a walk as well as the RBI double that gave the Rattlers their brief lead in the fifth inning.

Taylor Floyd, Wisconsin’s third pitcher of the night, worked 2-1/3 perfect innings with four strikeouts to keep the Rattlers withing striking distance.

Beloit is 4-0 in one-run games this season. The Rattlers are 0-4 in one-run games, including 0-2 against the Sky Carp in games decided by a single run.

Game two of the series is Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin has named Cameron Wagoner (1-2, 7.43) as their starting pitcher. The Sky Carp will counter with Chris Mokma (0-0, 12.46) as their starter. Game time is 12:10pm.

Wednesday afternoon is DARE Day. Area participants in D.A.R.E. programs can call the Timber Rattlers ticket office for a group rate ticket that includes a brown bag lunch. Local D.A.R.E officers will make a presentation for the children from 10:30 until 11:00 on the first base side of the stadium. Children with a D.A.R.E. Day ticket package will be allowed to play catch on the field from 11:00 until 11:30, too.

Fans age 55 and older receive a box seat ticket, a Reversable Bucket Hat, a beverage, and a brat or hot dog with the Silver Foxes Special for $25 courtesy of Network Health. This offer is available online this season by using the link above and using coupon code “FOX”. Fans may order the Silver Foxes Special in person at the Box Office or over the phone (920) 733-4152, too. The Silver Foxes Special is also available to active and retired military personnel.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 11:50am. 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.