Loons Fly Past Timber Rattlers
MWL Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Loons Fly Past Timber Rattlers

Published on August 16, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


GRAND CHUTE, WI - A pitchers' duel between two of the top strikeout artists in the Midwest League turned sour for the home team with a loss of control in the sixth inning. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers dropped a 7-0 decision to the Great Lakes Loons on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field.

The game was scoreless through five innings as both starting pitchers were on their game. Ryan Birchard, the Rattlers starter, allowed one hit, walked one, hit one, and struck out five over his first five innings. Adam Serwinowski, the starter for the Loons, gave up two hits, walked three, hit one, and struck out six over his first five innings.

The Loons (62-49 overall, 28-18 second half) pounced in the fifth inning as Birchard walked Carlos Rojas, the catcher and ninth hitter in the batting order, to start the inning. Kendall George, the league leader in stolen bases, hit a grounder to first for a force play at second and turned the inning into a track meet with a test of patience. George stole second and third with Samuel Munoz at the plate. Then, Birchard walked Munoz and that was all for the Rattlers starting pitcher.

Yerlin Rodriguez entered the game as the reliever for the Rattlers and Munoz stole second before Rodiguez walked Eduardo Quintero to load the bases. Rodriguez followed that with a walk of Zyhir Hope to force in George with the first run of the game.

Logan Wagner laced a double to left, the only hit of the inning, to drive in two runs. Fortunately for the Rattlers, Hope was thrown out at the plate and the deficit was only three runs. Then, Rodriguez threw a wild pitch with Jake Gelof at the plate to let Wagner take third. A passed ball on catcher Marco Dinges on ball four to Gelof allowed Wagner to score for a 4-0 lead.

The Rattlers (50-61, 16-30) threatened Serwinowski in the sixth inning as Dinges walked with one out and Alastre was hit with two outs. The Loons called for a pitching change. Serwinowski left the mound at almost the exact moment the crowd of 6,040 roared their approval of Andruw Monasterio's three-run homer in the eleventh inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 6-3 lead in Cincinnati that propelled the Brewers to a franchise-record fourteenth consecutive win. Serwinowski acknowledged the fans as he walked to his dugout to see how the action on the field would unfold with Joel Ibarra taking over on the mound to face Luis Castillo.

Castillo singled to left and Dinges tried to score from second on the play. Munoz made a strong throw to the plate and Dinges was the third out of the inning.

Great Lakes was not done as they took advantage of more Rattler miscues in the top of the eighth. Stiven Cruz walked two batter in the frame but had two outs with runners at first and second. Elijah Hainline singled to right and Alastre's throw to the plate was late. Dinges tried to throw behind Hainline at first base, but the throw sailed to foul territory in right field to allow the other runner on base and Hainline to score for a 7-0 lead.

Wisconsin had one base runner over the final three innings, a two-out walk drawn by Dinges in the eighth inning. Saturday night was the fifth time Wisconsin was shutout this season.

Timber Rattlers pitchers allowed just three hits and struck out eleven but walked ten as Great Lakes kept the pressure on with eight stolen bases. George was 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts on Saturday to give him 82 on the season. He is14-for-14 in steals in the first five games of the series.

Serwinowski was the winning pitcher. He is 2-0 with the Loons after starting the season 1-7 with the Dayton Dragons before making his way to the Los Angeles Dodgers system in a trade on July 31. He struck out six on Saturday night to run his league-leading total to 112.

Birchard surpassed 100 strikeouts for the season on Saturday night as he racked up five to give him 104 in 2025.

The series finale is Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Bishop Letson (2-0, 1.33) is scheduled to make the start for the Timber Rattlers. Great Lakes plans to have Aidan Foeller make his Midwest League debut as their starting pitcher. Game time is 1:10pm.

Hilary Blomberg, the All-Big Ten Softball Star from the University of Wisconsin, joins the festivities on Softball Day presented by Habush, Habush, & Rottier. Blomberg will be available for autographs prior to the game.

Brewers Sunday is presented by 107.5, The Fan with Timber Rattlers players and coaches wearing their Brewers Sunday jerseys during the game. There is also an appearance by Bernie Brewer and a package that includes a ticket to the game and a Brewers Sunday Tumbler available at this link.

Bark in the Park presented by Tito's Handmade Vodka is back, too. Seating has been set aside on the berm at the end of the third base concourse for you and your dog during the game. Please make sure your pup's vaccinations are current and enter through the left field gate. As an incentive, Tito's Handmade Vodka will donate $5 per dog to the Oshkosh Area Humane Society for every Bark in the Park Game this season - up to $2,500.

Get on the outfield from noon to 12:30pm courtesy of TruGreen for Catch on the Field. After the game, players will be available in the TLC Sign Picnic Pavilion at the end of the first base concourse for an autograph session courtesy of Fox Cities Cards.

The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starts with the pregame show at 6:20pm. The game is available on MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live, too.

R H E

GL 000 004 030 - 7 3 1

WIS 000 000 000 - 0 3 1

Click here for the boxscore

Click here for the scoring plays

WP: Adam Serwinowski (3-7)

LP: Ryan Birchard (3-7)

TIME: 2:56

ATTN: 6,040

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 16, 2025


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