Hill too tough to climb for Rattlers
July 8, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
PEORIA, IL -- Peoria Chief starting pitcher Rich Hill, who has pitched for the Chicago Cubs this season, struck out twelve Wisconsin Timber Rattler batters to lead the Chiefs to a 5-2 win Friday night at O'Brien Field. Ryan Harvey homered, drove in two runs, and scored two runs for the Cubs Midwest League affiliate.
Chris Colton singled with one out in the first inning and moved to second on a throwing error by first baseman Drew Larsen. A ground out sent Colton to third. Mike Wilson's two-out single scored the first run of the game. Hill, who made three relief appearances for the Cubs earlier this season, retired the next fourteen batters he faced.
The Chiefs (42-44 overall, 7-9 second half) rallied with two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the third. Harvey lined a long home run to leftcenter to tie the game. Rattler starter Randy Frye walked the next two batters. Then, Larsen knocked in the go-ahead run with a single to left.
Eric Patterson put Peoria in front 3-1 with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.
Oswaldo Navarro snapped Hill's streak of fourteen straight batters retired with a one out single in the top of the sixth. A single by Chris Colton put runners at first and second. Brandon Green followed with an RBI single to get the Rattlers (45-41, 6-10) to within a run. But, Hill got out of the inning with a 5-4-3 double play. Hill set down the side in order in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Hill made the start for the Chiefs because the Iowa Cubs Pacific Coast League series in New Orleans was wiped out due to a hurricane and with the Triple-A All-Star break coming up, the Chicago Cubs did not want Hill to be inactive for an extended period of time. He appeared at the Double-A, Triple-A, and Major League levels of baseball before tonight and leads all of minor league baseball with 151 strikeouts this season.
Ivan Blanco relieved Frye in the bottom of the sixth and gave up a leadoff double to Sam Fuld. One out later, Harvey doubled down the right field line to drive in Fuld. Harvey scored later in the inning on a wild pitch and the Chiefs were in front 5-2.
In the ninth, Tim Layden gave up a two out double, then got the final out for his fourth save of the season.
Game two of the series is Saturday night at O'Brien Field. Mark Lowe (4-3, 5.13ERA) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers and will be making his first appearance since June 4th. Grant Johnson (1-2, 5.25ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:30pm.
Midwest League Stories from July 8, 2005
- Lugnuts lament long balls in loss to Cougars - Lansing Lugnuts
- Rays hammer LumberKings down with 3 homers - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Dragons pitching staff throws three-hitter, strikes out 11 to beat Southwest Michigan 3-1 - Dayton Dragons
- Leslie, Kim Homer Late for Another Cougars Win - Kane County Cougars
- Hawks Rocked By Kazmar - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Burlington Stings Beloit - Beloit Sky Carp
- Hill Leads Chiefs Past Wisconsin, 5-2 - Peoria Chiefs
- Hill too tough to climb for Rattlers - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Last inning jolt goes nowhere - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Bees Take Series Opener in Beloit - Burlington Bees
- Man with two names returns..... - Dayton Dragons
- Chiefs' Patterson making a name for himself - OSC Original by Scott Coolbaugh
- L-Kings Fall To Devil Rays In Series Finale - Clinton LumberKings
- Silver Hawks Stop Bees and Falu's Hitting Streak - Burlington Bees
- Sopko sails south as 5th Lansing player sent to Dunedin - Lansing Lugnuts
- Lugnuts head home with series win over Dayton - Lansing Lugnuts
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