Rattlers Take Game One of Doubleheader 12-8 Over Peoria

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a 12-2 lead heading into the final inning of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Peoria Chiefs at Neuroscience Group Field. The Chiefs made it interesting with six runs in the top of the seventh, but the Rattlers held on for the 12-8 win.
Chad McClanahan put the Rattlers (19-23) up 3-0 in the first inning with a two-out, three-run double.

Wisconsin added to their lead with three more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Brent Díaz doubled to start the inning. Brice Turang drove him home with a single. David Fry cracked a two-run homer later in the inning for the 6-0 lead.

Fry's homer, his sixth of the season, moved his hitting streak to eleven games.

Peoria (19-24) struggled to get anything going against Wisconsin starter Logan Gillaspie. The right-hander allowed two hits as he retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced.

That changed in the top of the sixth as the first two batters of the frame reached on a single and a walk. Brady Whalen drove in both runners with a double to left-center and Wisconsin's lead was down to four runs. 

Gillaspie recovered to get the next two hitters, but an error extended the inning and put runners at the corners. The Rattlers positioned their defense perfectly as Malcolm Nunez lined the next pitch near second - right where Turang was stationed. Turang made the catch to end the inning.

The Rattlers offense put the game away in the bottom of the sixth inning as they scored six runs against the Peoria bullpen. Jesús Lujano knocked in the first two runs of the inning with a bases-loaded single. The hit by Lujano also meant that every Rattler in the lineup had at least one hit in the game.

Later in the inning - with the bases loaded again - Antonio Piñero drew a walk to force in a run. Then, Díaz singled through the right side of the infield to score two more runs. Piñero capped the scoring by scoring from third on a wild pitch and the Rattlers were up 12-2 heading into the final inning.

The Chiefs didn't go away quietly in the top of the seventh inning against reliever Robbie Hitt. The first three batters reached on a single, a walk, and an error. Nolan Gorman drove in the first run of the inning with a single that kept the bases loaded. Then, Whalen knocked in two runs with a single to give him four RBI in the game. 

Leandro Castillo followed with a two-run double to cut into the Wisconsin lead a little more and there were still no outs.

An infield single by Brendan Donovan moved Castillo to third base. Hitt got the first out of the inning on a force play at second that allowed Castillo to score and the Rattlers lead was down to 12-8. Hitt retired the next batter, but Wilson singled again, his fourth single of the game, to extend the game and force Wisconsin to make a pitching change.

Pete Strzelecki entered the game from the bullpen and retired Jhon Torres on a foul pop to close out game one for the Timber Rattlers.