This Date in Timber Rattlers History: September 17

September 17, 1999: The Rattlers beat Burlington 4–2 at home in Game Four of the Midwest League Championship Series. Wisconsin grabbed a 3–0 lead in the first inning and knocked Bees starting pitcher Jason Stumm out of the game after three innings. The Bees scored twice in the top of the fourth on a double by Ender Gonzalez, but that was as close as Burlington would get. Justin Smith worked seven innings as the Timber Rattlers starting pitcher before turning the game over to Enmanuel Ulloa in the eighth. Craig Kuzmic provided some insurance for Wisconsin with a solo home run in the eighth inning and Ulloa worked a scoreless ninth to close out the game. The victory allowed the Rattlers to force Game Five of the 1999 MWL Championship Series.

2005: The Rattlers lost 4–0 to South Bend at home in Game Five of the Midwest League Championship Series. The Silver Hawks on the pennant three games to two. The game was scoreless until Cesar Nicolas hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. Agustin Murillo followed with a homer and the Silver Hawks were up 3–0.

Cibney Bello was the starting pitcher for Wisconsin and he allowed a one-out single in the first and a two-out double in the second before he retired thirteen in a row. Carlos Gonzalez broke that streak with a lead-off single in the seventh right before the home run by Nicolas. South Bend added one more run in the ninth on an RBI single by Brandon Simon.

Steven Jackson was the starting pitcher for South Bend and he pitched eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts while scattering five hits. Wisconsin’s best chances to score off Jackson came in the first and third innings. Brent Johnson singled to lead-off the first inning and stole second with two outs, but was left stranded. Josh Womack, who had two hits in the game and was the only Rattler with a multi-hit game, singled with one out in the third inning and stole second, but was left stranded at second after a ground out and a strikeout. Matt Elliot took over for Jackson in the bottom of the ninth and worked a 1–2–3 inning to close out the Rattlers and clinch the title for South Bend.

Adam Moore (Timber Rattlers 2006) made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in a game against the Chicago White Sox on September 17, 2009.