MWL1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Cougars wreck Rattlers rally with late comeback

Published on June 17, 2015 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored four time in the top of the eighth inning to take a 6-5 lead on the Kane County Cougars Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. But, Kane County rallied with three runs in the bottom of the eighth and held off Wisconsin in the ninth for an 8-7 victory.

Wisconsin (21-45) got on the board first. Francisco Castillo singled to start the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Diaz, and took third on a grounder by Elvis Rubio. Kane County starter Markus Solbach hit Dustin DeMuth to extend the inning. Sthervin Matos blooped in a single to drive in Castillo from third for a 1-0 lead.

Kane County (33-32) countered in the second inning against Wisconsin starting pitcher Cy Sneed. Colin Bray tripled to start the frame. Chuck Taylor drove in Bray with a sacrifice fly to tie the game,

The Rattlers answered back in the top of the third. Elvis Rubio doubled with one out. DeMuth put the Rattlers up 2-1 with a single to right-center that drove in Rubio.

Marty Herum started the Kane County fourth with a single. Bray followed with a bunt single up the third base line and the throw to first was wild. Herum scored all the way from first and Bray wound up on third base. Taylor knocked in Bray with a grounder and the Cougars were up 3-2.

In the fifth, Victor Reyes started the inning with a slow grounder to the right side of the infield. After brief confusion as to who would field the ball, second baseman Tucker Neuhaus took the ball and flipped the ball from his glove to Sneed covering first base. The play appeared to be in time, but Reyes was ruled safe. Cody Regis followed with a triple to right-center to drive in Reyes for a 4-2 lead..

Joe Munoz started the Kane County seventh inning with a double off Sneed and the Rattlers brought Tyler Linehan out of the bullpen. Reyes singled to center off Linehan and Munoz scored for a 5-2 advantage.

Tucker Neuhaus, who had singled earlier in the game to extend his hitting streak to ten games, singled to start the Wisconsin eighth against reliever Steve Hathaway. Jose Pena followed with a double. Then, Alan Sharkey singled to center to score Neuhaus. Hathaway got the next two outs before giving way to Luis Ramirez.

Diaz dropped a hit in behind the mound to allow Pena to score and the Rattlers were within a run.

Rubio completed the comeback when he sent an 0-2 pitch from Ramirez just fair inside the line at third base for a two-run double and the Rattlers were up 6-5.

But, the Cougars had a rally of their own.

Linehan got the first out of the frame, but gave up singles to Taylor and Michael Perez. Munoz followed with a single to left to score Taylor with the tying run. Perez and Munoz each moved into scoring position on the throw to the plate. Wisconsin elected to walk Reyes intentionally to load the bases, but set up the double play. However, Linehan hit Regis to force in the go-ahead run for Kane County.

Zach Cooper was summoned from the bullpen and had a 3-1 count on Ildemaro Vargas when he balked to allow Kane County's eighth run of the game to score. Cooper escaped the inning with no more damage.

Neuhaus started the Wisconsin ninth against Cougars close Zac Curtis with a single, his third hit of the game. Pena bunted Neuhaus to second and Sharkey drove in Neuhaus with a hit. Sharkey's third hit of the game made it 8-7.

Greg McCall was next and his deep fly to left died on the warning track for the second out.

Castillo kept the game alive for the Rattlers with a single, but Curtis collected his thirteenth save of the season with a strikeout of Diaz to end the game. Curtis is 5-for-5 in save opportunities against the Timber Rattlers this season.

The Rattlers collected a season-high 17 hits in the game and went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position, but could not stop themselves from falling to a season low 24 games under .500.

DeMuth joined Neuhaus and Sharkey with three-hit games. DeMuth also reached base on a hit batsman and a walk on Wednesday.

The Timber Rattlers conclude their three-game series with the Cougars on Thursday night at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Zach Hirsch (2-3, 2.98) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Kane County sends Wei-Chieh Huang to the mound. Game time is 6:30pm. Catch the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 5:40pm. The broadcast may also be heard on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers to MiLB.TV can follow the action that way.

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from June 17, 2015


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