MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

Hopkins' Single Lifts Rattlers in 12th

August 3, 2011 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Grand Chute, WI - After coming dangerously close to scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th and 11th innings, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers finally defeated the Clinton LumberKings in the bottom of the 12th as Nick Shaw singled and scored on a game-ending liner to left-center by Greg Hopkins. The run, Wisconsin's first since the opening inning, ended a game that had been tied since the eighth.

Wisconsin scored on left-hander Anthony Fernandez in the first inning as Shaw singled and scored on a double by Jason Rogers that landed just fair down the left-field line. Fernandez would settle down afterwards, allowing just one run on six hits over 7.1 innings in his seventh quality start of the season.

The LumberKings missed plenty of early opportunities to score against Rattlers' right-hander Brooks Hall. Stefen Romero led off the second inning with a double and moved to third on groundout by Kalian Sams, but Jake Schlander struck out swinging to strand him. In the fifth, Schlander reached on a dropped fly ball by right-fielder Franklin Romero, Jr. and took third on a flare single by John Hicks, but Anthony Phillips and Robbie Anston each popped up to end the threat. Mike McGee singled and took second on a wild pitch in the sixth, but again Hall shut down the threat as he retired Romero and Wiswall. Hall went 6.0 scoreless innings for the Rattlers.

Clinton finally drew even in the eighth. Phillips greeted right-hander Dan Britt with a double into left-center and was joined by Anston, who walked. Julio Morban bunted them both into scoring position and McGee tied the game with a groundout to second-baseman Mike Brownstein. Right-hander Adrian Rosario allowed the tying tally to Britt's line, but then stranded Anston as he got Romero to fly to center.

The game went into extra frames tied a 1-1. Errors by third-baseman Schlander and second-baseman Romero put Rattler runners at second and third with one out in the 10th, but right-hander Tyler Burgoon intentionally walked Rogers and then struck out Hopkins and induced T.J. Mittelstaedt into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

In the 11th, Wisconsin put runners at second and third with none out against Burgoon as Chad Stang walked and Brownstein reached on a bunt single. Both moved up a base on a throwing error by first-baseman Tim Morris, who misfired to first after Brownstein's bunt. Still, Burgoon would find a way out as he struck out Tony Pechek and Franklin Romero and got Reggie Keen to ground out to short.

With submarining right-hander John Taylor on in the 12th, the Rattlers finally put together the winning run. Shaw singled to left, took second on a surprising sacrifice bunt by Rogers and scored on Hopkins' single. Taylor (L, 0-1) gave up a run on two hits over 0.1 innings.

Rattlers' right-hander Greg Holle (W, 1-4) allowed only a hit over 2.0 innings to get the win. Shaw went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Rattlers, while Hopkins went 1-for-6 with the game-winning RBI.

McGee had the lone RBI for the LumberKings, finishing 1-for-5 on the day. Phillips doubled and scored, going 1-for-4. The Clinton offense has combined to score just two runs over 21 innings so far in the series with Wisconsin.

The LumberKings (19-19) continue the series with the Timber Rattlers (16-22) tomorrow night at Time Warner Cable Field, first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. Left-hander Roenis Elias will make his Midwest League debut for Clinton and is opposed by right-hander Matt Miller (4-5, 4.95) of Wisconsin. Listen to the game on AM 1390 KCLN in Clinton or live on the web at 1390kcln.com.

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