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Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Pena's blast propels Rattlers to victory

April 17, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers played with fire all night Friday at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium against the Burlington Bees. But it was the Bees who were burned when Jose Pena hit an eighth inning home run to snap a 2-2 tie for the home team. Wisconsin would go on to defeat the Bees 5-2 in a game filled with missed opportunities, clutch pitching, and one unforgettable play.

The Timber Rattlers (2-7) scored in the first inning to take the lead. Gregory Munoz walked, went to second on a passed ball, and took third on a groundout. Dustin DeMuth continued his hot hitting with a single to right to drive in Munoz for a 1-0 lead. The run was the first scored by the Rattlers in the first inning this season.

DeMuth, who had three hits in the game, was caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Then, Keynan Middleton, the Bees starter, retired 16 of the next 17 batters he faced before leaving after six innings.

Wisconsin starting pitcher David Burkhalter allowed two baserunners in each of the first three innings, but the sixth round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2014 draft did not allow a run before he left with 56 pitches after three frames.

Kodi Medeiros, the #1 pick of the Brewers in last year's draft, came in to start the fourth and took over on the mound for the first time since he tossed six no-hit innings on Sunday against the Peoria Chiefs. Then, Burlington (5-4) tied the game on a play that won't easily forgotten by those who saw it.

Ryan Seiz, the leadoff batter for Burlington to start the fourth inning, sent a slow roller to the third base side of the mound on the first pitch Medeiros threw on Friday. The Rattlers pitcher fielded the ball cleanly, but hurried his throw and stepped on the upslope of the mound to toss to first. The throw went wild and Seiz took off for second. Munoz, the second baseman, fielded the ball as it caromed off the side wall behind first base and threw wildly to second. Seiz went for third as the ball rolled to left field. Seiz was almost at third base when Brandon Diaz made an ill-advised throw to third. The throw was wild and wound up in the camera pit at the home plate end of the Wisconsin dugout to allow Seiz to trot home with the tying run.

The Bees would have runners at the corners with one out in the fifth inning, but Medeiros got out of the inning by getting Zach Houchins to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. In the sixth, Seiz doubled with one out, but was left stranded.

Burlington threatened again in the seventh inning. Michael Hermosillo reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Medeiros walked the next two batters and the Bees had the bases loaded with one out. Medeiros escaped by striking out Houchins and getting Fran Whitten to ground out to first.

The Rattlers moved back in front in the bottom of the seventh against the Bees bullpen. Dustin DeMuth's high pop down the right field line dropped in for a double. David Denson struck out on a pitch in the dirt and DeMuth raced for third as the Bees had to throw to first to retire Denson. Elvis Rubio swung at the first pitch from Alex Klonowski and sent a fly ball to medium right. DeMuth tagged and beat the slightly off-target throw with a head first slide to the back of the plate to score the go-ahead run.

Medeiros walked Seiz to start the top of the eighth, but struck out the next batter to turn the game over to Luke Curtis. The Wisconsin reliever gave up a single to the first batter he faced, got the second out, and walked the next batter to load the bases. Curtis quickly got two strikes on Caleb Adams but committed a balk as he went to his stretch position to allow Seiz to score the tying run. Curtis escaped the inning with no more damage.

Pena, who hit nine homers for the Timber Rattlers in 2014, stepped in with one out in the bottom of the eighth and crushed an offering from Klonowski off the top of the video board in left-center for his first home run of the season to put the Rattlers back in front by a 3-2 score.

Gregory Munoz added to the lead in the inning when he reached on a single with two outs. Munoz stole second went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.

Wisconsin kept the inning going on a walk to Diaz and a single by DeMuth. Denson followed with another single to knock in Diaz for a 5-2 lead.

Curtis went back out for the ninth and closed the game out for the Rattlers.

The win gave the Rattlers their first series win of the season as they took two of three from the Bees at home.

The Timber Rattlers begin a short three-game road trip to Peoria on Saturday. Wisconsin has Milton Gomez (0-0, 0.00) as their scheduled starting pitcher. Fernando Baez (1-1, 0.00) is set to start for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:00pm at Dozer Park. The broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 5:40pm. Saturday's game is also available on TuneIn Radio.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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