MWL1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Ledbetter ends game and no-hit bid with one swing

Published on August 25, 2006 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


FOX CITIES STADIUM -- Clinton LumberKing starting pitcher Jake Rasner's no-hit bid ended when Curt Ledbetter hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 1-0 Rattler win. Rasner had walked one and struck out six through seven innings, but the LumberKing offense could not score against a pair of Rattler pitchers.

Johan Limonta blasted a pitch from Rasner to the right field wall in the bottom of the second inning, but Grant Gerrard made a leaping catch to rob Limonta of a homer.

The first Rattler to reach base against Rasner was Gerardo Avila. He reached first on an error by Rasner to start the third inning. But, the LumberKings turned a double play on the next batter and Rasner struck out the final batter of the inning.

Limonta drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the fifth, but he was left stranded. Rasner retired the next nine Rattlers in a row.

Rattler starter David Asher kept matching Rasner's zeroes in the run column, if not the hit column.

Clinton (43-86 overall, 20-40 second half) had their best opportunity to score off Asher in the top of the sixth inning. They had runners at first and second with one out, but Asher got a strike out for the second out. Then, Rattler third baseman Alex Liddi made a diving play to his left to snare a line drive off the bat of Ian Gac for the third out.

The game was scheduled for seven innings as the two teams wrapped up a suspended game from Thursday earlier on Friday night. So, extra innings were needed when neither team had scored after seven innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Clinton loaded the bases with one out against Rattler reliever Brian Kappel. Kappel got out of the jam with a force out at the plate and a strikeout.

Ledbetter ended the game by launching Rasner's first pitch of the bottom of the eighth off the scoreboard in leftcenter to end the game and Rasner's no-hit bid. Rasner struck out seven in the game, but saw his record fall to 5-16.

Wisconsin (48-82, 21-39) picked up their third walk off home run of the season on Ledbetter's blast. Ron Garth hit an eleventh inning homer to beat Burlington at Fox Cities Stadium on May 21. Limonta hit a game winner in ninth inning to beat Beloit on August 6.

Game three of the series between Wisconsin and Clinton is Saturday night at Fox Cities Stadium. Jose Escalona (7-12, 4.19ERA) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Zach Phillips (5-11, 5.88ERA) is set to start for the LumberKings. Game time is 7:05pm.

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 25, 2006


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