Rattlers rally to beat Beloit Victory ends six-game losing streak
July 4, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
GRAND CHUTE, WI - On Saturday night, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had an early lead and lost it against the Beloit Snappers for the third night in a row. But Wisconsin rallied to retake the lead late and held on for an 8-5 win over their in-state rivals at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The victory ended Wisconsin's six-game losing streak.
Brandon Diaz, who would figure into Wisconsin's rally in the seventh inning, started the Rattlers half of the first with a single. He would score later in the inning on single by Carlos Leal.
The Rattlers (26-54 overall, 3-7 second half) plated two more runs in the bottom of the second. Alan Sharkey reached on an error and Sthervin Matos singled. Diaz and Blake Allemand followed the first out of the inning with consecutive RBI singles and Wisconsin was up 3-0.
Sharkey delivered a two-out triple in the bottom of the fifth to drive Leal home from first base with two outs and Wisconsin was up 4-0.
The Snappers (31-49, 5-5) were quiet for the first five innings against Wisconsin starter Angel Ventura as they had just four hits. That changed in the sixth.
Ventura allowed a single to Joe Bennie and walked the next two batters to load the bases. Justin Higley was next and he singled to drive in a pair of runs to cut Wisconsin's lead in half. Higley's single also knocked Ventura out of the game.
Luke Curtis entered the game for Wisconsin and struck out the first batter he faced, but a single by Shawn Duinkerk loaded the bases. Tim Proudfoot knocked in the tying runs with a check-swing, bloop single to right just inside the line. The hit also moved Duinkerk around to third base. James Harris gave the Snappers the lead with a sacrifice fly to right-center that was deep enough to score Duinkerk.
The Rattlers responded in the seventh inning. Elvis Rubio blooped a popup to shallow right that was just out of the reach of a diving Duinkerk. Rubio saw the ball deflect back towards the infield and hustled into second with a double. Sharkey drew a walk and that was all for Beloit reliever Cody Stull.
Dominique Vattuone entered and walked Sthervin Matos on four pitches to load the bases for Tucker Neuhaus.
Neuhaus slapped a 1-0 pitch from the side-arming right-hander into left field to drive in Rubio with the tying run. That would bring Diaz to the plate.
Diaz lined a single to center to score both Sharkey and Matos and the Rattlers were back in front 7-5.
Curtis, who had worked a scoreless top of the seventh, got the first out of the eighth and made way for Tyler Linehan. The lefty retired the next two batters to let the Rattlers try to add on a run in the bottom of the eighth.
That is exactly what happened as Dustin DeMuth lined an opposite-field homer to left to start the Wisconsin eighth. DeMuth's fifth home run of the year gave the Rattlers an 8-5 lead.
Linehan worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the Wisconsin victory.
Diaz went 3-for-5 with a runs scored and three RBI to pace Wisconsin's twelve-hit attack. Sharkey was on base five times on Saturday night as he reached on an error, three walks, and the triple.
Khris Davis, in game four of his five-game rehabilitation assignment with Wisconsin from the Milwaukee Brewers, went 0-for-5.
The final game of the series is Sunday afternoon. Cody Ponce, the 2nd round pick of the Brewers in the 2015 draft, will make his Midwest League debut as the starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit has named Daniel Gossett (3-7, 5.42) as their starter. Game time is 1:05pm.
Military Appreciation Weekend presented by American National Bank concludes with a silent auction for the caps worn by the players and coaches in the two games against the Snappers. Proceeds from the auction will go to Fox Valley Veterans Emergency Fund.
Fans may play catch on-field courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at noon. Players and coaches will wear their Brewers-themed jerseys for this game as part of Brewers Sunday presented by 107.5, The Fan. Players will be available for a postgame autograph session sponsored by Tundraland Home Improvements, too.
If you can't make it out to the game, the radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:45. The broadcast may also be heard on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers to MiLB.TV may watch the game on that platform.
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