Wisconsin Holds On After Taking Late Lead in Peoria
PEORIA, IL – In a staring contest between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Peoria Chiefs on Thursday night at Dozer Park, it was the Chiefs who blinked first. Wisconsin pitchers worked through jams all night, but kept the game tied until the offense could score a late run to
PEORIA, IL – In a staring contest between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Peoria Chiefs on Thursday night at Dozer Park, it was the Chiefs who blinked first. Wisconsin pitchers worked through jams all night, but kept the game tied until the offense could score a late run to take the lead. Then, the bullpen held off the Chiefs to preserve a 3-2 victory.
Wisconsin (13-17) scored first. Hedbert Pérez singled with one out in the top of the third. Blake Burke, who had already singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to six with a single in the first inning, stepped in with two outs and Pérez still at first. Burke ripped a triple to the gap in right-center to score Pérez.
▶️ @Brewers 1B prospect and @NB_Baseball Future Stars Series veteran Blake Burke tripled in the @TimberRattlers 3-2 win today. His first professional triple. He had one in each if his three seasons at @Vol_Baseball.#WeGotNow pic.twitter.com/ilroZaoBbV
— New Balance 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 (@ftrstarsseries) May 9, 2025
In the bottom of the third, Wisconsin starter Bishop Letson walked two of the first three batters he faced and gave up a single to Joshua Baez to load the bases. Ryan Campos sent a grounder to Burke at first for an RBI grounder to tie the game. However, Burke tried to get the runner going to third and was wild with his throw to allow the go-ahead run to score.
The Rattlers tied the game in the top of the fourth inning. Juan Baez and Luiyin Alastre singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Daniel Guilarte hit a sharp grounder towards left. Third baseman Michael Currialle made a diving stop and threw to second for the force, but Guilarte beat the throw to first for a game-tying, RBI fielder’s choice.
Peoria (9-20) had an opportunities to score against Letson in the bottom of the fourth and the bottom of the fifth.
The Chiefs had runners at the corners – Zach Levenson a third and Braden Jobert at first – in the fourth with one out. Letson got the second out with a strikeout. Then, with Tre Richardson at the plate, Jobert broke for second, drew a throw, and got caught in a rundown. Levenson mistimed his break for the plate and was caught trying to score on a 2-4-3-6-5-2 play to end the inning.
In the fifth, Richardson singled and Letson walked the next batter to bring Joshua Baez to the plate. Baez lined out to Jadher Areinamo at short and doubled Richardson off second for a double play. Letson got the final out on a grounder to keep the game even.
The game remained tied until the top of the seventh inning. Yhoswar Garcia started the frame with a single. Then, he stole second. Pérez was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Jadher Areinamo followed with a sinking line drive to right. Bryce Madron made a sliding catch for the first out, but Garcia was able to tag and move to third.
Chiefs reliever Hunter Hayes was able to get the second out with a strikeout and appeared headed for the third out after two quick strikes on Eduardo Garcia. However, Garcia was able to line the next pitch to center to drive in Yhoswar Garcia from third for the go-ahead run.
Zach Peek, who got the final out of the bottom of the sixth in relief of Letson, gave up a single and a walk to the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh. Peek found the zone and struck out the next three batters to maintain the lead.
Patricio Aquino, the third Wisconsin pitcher of the night, entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and walked the first batter he faced. Like Letson and Peek before him, Aquino didn’t give in to the Chiefs. He got a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play to end the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth to close out the game and earn his second save of the season.
Letson matched his single-game high for innings pitched as a pro with his 5-2/3 innings on Thursday night. He allowed two runs - one earned - on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts for a no decision.
Game four of the series is Friday night at Dozer Park. Tyson Hardin (2-0, 0.70) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria has named Darlin Saldin (0-1, 6.23) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 7:05pm. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts at 6:45pm. The game is also available on internet audio, MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live.