Cedar Rapids stops the Rattlers
June 12, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
FOX CITIES STADIUM -- The Cedar Rapids Kernels hit three home runs and Rafael Rodriguez pitched eight strong innings to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-3. Jason Ramos and Drew Toussaint both hit the ball over the wall and Freddy Sandoval picked up an inside-the-park homer to help the Kernels to the win. The Rattlers remain in a first place tie with the Clinton LumberKings after Clinton's 3-1 loss to the Kane County Cougars on Sunday.
Cedar Rapids and Wisconsin traded runs in the first inning. Toussaint drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Yung Chi Chen tripled and scored on an infield grounder by Asdrubal Cabrera in the bottom of the first.
The Kernels (27-36) retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning with a home run from an unlikely power source. Ramos started the inning with a solo home run to left. The homer was his first in 313 professional at bats.
Wisconsin (35-28) tied the game with a homer from just as unlikely a player. Oswaldo Navarro launched a high fly ball to left that carried over the wall for his third homer of the season. The tying long ball came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
But, the Kernels got a go-ahead home run from Toussaint to start the top of the sixth inning.
The inside-the-park-homer by Sandoval with a runner on base in the top of the seventh inning put the Kernels in front 5-2. Sandoval hit a slicing line drive to right that took an odd carom off the scoreboard on the wall and he raced around the bases beating the throw to the plate with a headfirst dive.
The Rattlers had runners at first and third with two out in the bottom of the eighth, but Rodriguez recorded his fifth strikeout of the game to end the threat.
In the ninth, the Rattlers scored an unearned run against Kernel reliever Miguel Gonzalez on a throwing error by Sandoval on what would have been the final out of the game. The error brought the tying run to the plate, but Gonzalez got the final out to get his first save of the season.
The Rattlers begin a seven game road trip on Monday with the first game of a three game series at Alliant Energy Field against the Clinton LumberKings. The Rattlers and LumberKings are tied atop the Western Division of the Midwest League with identical 35-27 records. There are seven games remaining in the first half.
Jason Snyder (7-4, 3.64ERA) is scheduled to start for Wisconsin on Monday night. Ace Walker (3-5, 2.68) is slated to start for Clinton. Game time is 7:00pm.
Midwest League Stories from June 12, 2005
- McClellan activated from DL - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Swing rally early in win - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Wizards Avoid Sweep and End Bees Winning Streak - Burlington Bees
- Chiefs Fall back to .500, Lose 3-1 - Peoria Chiefs
- Rogers Fires Gem, Cougars Snap Skid in Clinton - Kane County Cougars
- Cedar Rapids stops the Rattlers - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Devil Rays top West Michigan in series finale 4-3 - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Error ends series for Whitecaps - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Lugnuts Come from Behind to Thump Dragons 7-2 - Dayton Dragons
- Kernels place Collins on DL; Martinez rejoins team - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Lumberkings win two on Saturday - Clinton LumberKings
- Cougars Drop Both Sides of Doubleheader - Kane County Cougars
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