Wisconsin Clubs Three Homers in 10-6 loss to South Bend
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cracked three early home runs against the top pitching prospect in the Chicago Cubs minor league system to take a 6-2 lead against the South Bend Cubs on Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. However, the Cubs scored
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cracked three early home runs against the top pitching prospect in the Chicago Cubs minor league system to take a 6-2 lead against the South Bend Cubs on Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. However, the Cubs scored four runs in the fourth inning to tie the game and four runs in the seventh inning to break the tie on their way to a 10-6 win over Wisconsin.
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The first inning got off to an odd start. Ezequiel Pagan singled with one out. Fabian Pertuz popped up to first baseman Jesús Chirinos for the apparent second out of the inning. However, Pagan bumped into Chirinos going back to first before the catch was made and was called for unintentional interference. Pagan, who has one stolen base on the season, was ruled out and Pertuz was placed at first base by the umpiring crew. Pertuz promptly stole second base, his ninth steal in ten attempts in 2023. Then, Yohendrick Pinango singled to drive in Pertuz for a 1-0 lead.
Later in the first inning, Pinango scored on a wild pitch and the Cubs were up 2-0.
Wisconsin (8-20) responded in the bottom of the second against Kade Horton, the #4 prospect of the Chicago Cubs who was making his Midwest League debut as the starting pitcher for South Bend. Hendry Mendez and Alex Hall singled with one out. Je’Von Ward was next, and he lined a three-run homer past the light tower above the wall in left.
3-Run 💣for @SaintLaurentVon to give the T-Rats a 3-2 lead in the 2nd! #tratnation pic.twitter.com/T8d4lRLhNe
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 11, 2023
The Rattlers bombardment continued in the bottom of the third. Eric Brown Jr hit a lead-off homer over the new outfield suites above the left field wall for his first homer with Wisconsin. Ben Metzinger hit a two-run blast later in the inning and the Rattlers were up 6-2.
2022 1st-rounder vs. 2022 1st-rounder@Brewers' Eric Brown Jr. wins this one as he takes Cade Horton deep for his first @TimberRattlers home run.
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 11, 2023
Watch FREE: https://t.co/aKtGFgX9NB pic.twitter.com/fsgu5PSEMJ
It's raining bombs!!! @benmetzinger2 takes one to the videoboard! pic.twitter.com/RMgLUOWoKd
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) May 11, 2023
The Cubs (17-12) rallied to tie the game with help from Wisconsin’s defense in the top of the fourth. Christian Franklin doubled in the first run but was at third base with two outs and the Rattlers still leading 6-3. However, Metzinger committed a throwing error on a grounder to third for what would have been the final out of the inning to let Franklin score.
The next South Bend batter was Kevin Alcántara. He sent a chopper up the middle. Second baseman Robert Moore picked the ball clean but his jump-throw to first was wild to put runners on second and third. Pagan made the Rattlers pay with a two-run single to right on a 1-2 pitch to tie the game.
Wisconsin had great opportunities to take the lead in the fifth and sixth innings. Brown singled and stole second to start the fifth. He took third on a grounder but was left stranded there when the inning ended as South Bend reliever Brad Depperman got the next two hitters on strikeouts. In the sixth, Eduardo García had a lead-off double and went to third on a wild pitch by Frankie Scalzo Jr with no outs. Scalzo escaped the inning with a grounder to short with the infield drawn in on the grass, a strikeout, and a tapper back to the mound.
South Bend made the Rattlers pay again as they cracked six hits and scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-6 lead. Pagan singled and Pertuz doubled to kick off the inning. Pinango singled to left to score Pagan with the go-ahead run, but Pertuz was thrown out at the plate on the throw by Alex Hall. It was the second time in the game Hall threw out Pertuz at home on a single to left.
Kevin Made singled to put runners at the corners for the Cubs. Wisconsin got the second out with a strikeout. However, Franklin singled to right to score a run and the throw to the infield got away to let Made score while Franklin raced to third base. Casey Opitz followed with a single to score Franklin with the final run of the inning.
The loss was the eighth in a row for the Timber Rattlers.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Tyler Woessner (3-1, 2.77) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The Cubs will counter with Connor Noland (0-1, 3.93) as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm CDT.
Thursday is a Craft Brews & Brats Night with Fox River Brewing Company and The Score. Fans who are 21 and older may purchase any 16-ounce craft beer during the game. All fans can purchase a Cher-Make brat for $3.
If you can’t make it out to Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, 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.