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Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels

September 3, 2016 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


The Cedar Rapids Kernels put a hold on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers push for the Midwest League playoffs by defeating the Rattlers 5-4 in 16 innings on Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Nelson Molina broke the tie with a two-out RBI triple in the sixteenth inning and the Rattlers head into the final three games of the season still looking to clinch a playoff spot.

JJ Fernandez put the Kernels (77-59 overall, 41-26 second half) up 1-0 with a two-out solo home run in the top of the second inning.

Cedar Rapids used the long ball to add to their lead in the top of the fourth. Luis Arraez, the leading hitter in the Midwest League, singled with one out. Zander Wiel was next and he launched an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left for his 17th home run of the season and a 3-0 lead.

Manuel Guzman added to the Kernels lead later in the fourth with a two-out RBI single.

Wisconsin (69-68, 35-32) chipped away with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Jake Gatewood doubled to start the inning. Monte Harrison singled with one out to knock in Gatewood to pull the Rattlers to within three runs.

The Rattlers charged back to tie the game with three runs after there were two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Luis Aviles was at second with two outs when Isan Diaz drew a walk. Gatewood followed with a drive off the middle of the wall in center for a double that scored both runners. An error on a grounder off the bat of Lucas Erceg allowed Gatewood to score the tying run.

The game stayed tied deep into the night as neither bullpen cracked in pressure situations late in the game.

Wisconsin had a great opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the tenth. Troy Stokes, Jr. hit a line drive to left field that just missed being a walkoff homer as the ball hit high off the wall for a leadoff double against lefty Anthony McIver. The Kernels walked Gatewood with one out and McIver retired the lefty Erceg. Then, Monte Harrison kept the inning going with an infield single to load the bases. But, McIver got a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch to escape the inning and send the game to the eleventh.

The Kernels loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the eleventh, but Nate Griep got a strikeout to end the threat.

The Rattlers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eleventh inning against Max Cordy. Aviles drew a walk, Belonis reached on catcher's interference, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, and Stokes walked. But, Max Cordy struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied.

Cedar Rapids loaded the bases in the top of the twelfth inning against Alex Farina, the fourth Wisconsin pitcher of the night. Farina escaped the inning with the game still deadlocked.

Harrison singled with one out in the bottom of the twelfth and stole second. However, Cordy kept the game tied.

The Kernels ran out of pitching in the bottom of the fifteenth inning and starting catcher Kevin Garcia had to switch from behind the plate to the mound. He retired the Rattlers in order in the fifteenth.

Matt Smith, the fifth Wisconsin pitcher of the night, had pitch a scoreless top of the fifteenth inning and retired the first two batters he faced in the top of the sixteenth. Wiel extended the inning for the Kernels with a single. Then, Molina snuck a hard grounder down the first base line that rolled to the corner for an RBI triple to score Wiel with the go-ahead run.

Belonis reached on an error to start the bottom of the sixteenth, but Garcia got a strikeout, a foul pop, and a force play at second to end the game and earn the win.

In the Western Division Wild Card race, the Burlington Bees rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5 at Clinton on Friday night. The Bees are now 34-33. The Rattlers lead the Bees by one game with three games remaining in the regular season. The Timber Rattlers hold the tie-breaker over the Bees by virtue of winning the season series between the teams. The Timber Rattlers magic number over the Bees to clinch a playoff spot is two. Burlington will head home for their final three games of the season to host the Quad Cities River Bandits.

The Timber Rattlers hit the road on Saturday for their final road trip of the regular season as they face the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field. Jake Drossner (5-6, 4.75) is the scheduled starter for Wisconsin. Beloit has named Dustin Hurlbutt (3-5, 2.49) as their starter. Game time is 7:00pm.

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