Northwoods Wausau Woodchucks

'Chucks End Skid in Style, Best Eau Claire in Barnburner

Published on July 26, 2011 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wausau Woodchucks News Release


WAUSAU-July 26, 2011-After falling behind 7-0 after only two innings, the Wisconsin Woodchucks rallied back to score 11 runs and snap a six-game losing streak over the visiting Eau Claire Express.

Both starting pitchers - Matt McDaniel and Nick Greene - lasted only two innings in a game where 17 runs were scored in only the first three innings.

Wisconsin, which came in hitting a mere .195 over the past five games, turned 11 hits, 10 walks and two Express errors into 11 runs.

With the win, which advanced the 'Chucks to 8-10 in the second half, Wisconsin secured at least a tie in the season series with the Express, taking a 5-4 series advantage with one game remaining on the season.

Nick Greene, tonight's starting pitcher, struggled mightily against a hot Express offensive attack.

Ryan Schober led off the game with a triple, scoring as Ty Forney followed with a groundball double that skidded through the infield all the way to the warning track. Forney scored after advancing to third base on a groundout and coming home on a Ben Kincaid sac fly.

Eau Claire, however, would add five funs to their first-inning total in the second, as Greene - who recorded two outs with a sandwiched walk to start the inning - limped through the frame and allowed two doubles, a single and a two-run Ben Kincaid homerun, giving the Express a 7-0 lead.

Refusing to go down easy and accept their seventh-consecutive loss, the Woodchucks' offense - mired in a dreadful team hitting swoon - came alive in force.

Facing starter Matt McDaniel, who took the win over the Woodchucks in game three of the 2010 South Division Championship Series, the 'Chucks parlayed a two-out fielding error in the second inning into four unearned runs -thanks largely in part to a three-run Seth Batty homer.

Nick Greene took an early exit after allowing seven runs, two walks and six hits in only two innings of work, giving way to Jake Long.

With their lead cut to three, the Express struck for two runs off Long in the third, as Demarcus Tidwell and Jordan Camel - who reached on a single and an error - scored on a Lawton Langford hit-and-run single and a Ryan Schober sac fly.

The 'Chucks weren't discouraged, however, as leadoff hitter Austin Coleman's walk was followed by a Cody Regis homer, and Robbie De La Cruz - the next batter - walked and scored as Garrett Yrigoyen hit his own two-run homerun - making the score 9-8 Express after only three innings.

While Jake Long recovered in the fourth and stymied the Eau Claire onslaught, the Woodchucks whittled away on Express' reliever Travis Wilcox, scoring one in the fourth on a Danny Susdorf sac fly, and taking the lead as Seth Batty led off the fifth with his second homer of both the night, and the season.

Jake Long and Ryan Iverson combined to mow down the Express in the middle innings, facing just two batters over the minimum from the fourth to eighth innings.

Nursing a one-run lead into the eighth, Wisconsin added a valuable insurance run in the eighth as Brian Carroll - who pinch-ran for Jamie Bruno, who reached on a rare catcher's obstruction - scored on a Robbie De La Cruz RBI single.

Anthony Drobnick pitched the ninth and collected his third save of the season, securing Ben Long his first win as a Woodchuck.

The series will conclude Wednesday night in Eau Claire, with Brad Kuntz taking on a starter to be determined, before the 'Chucks return home Thursday for a two-game series against Madison.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 26, 2011


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