Magnificent seventh lifts Rattlers over Bees
July 22, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
BURLINGTON, IA -- The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored four times in the seventh inning at Community Field on Saturday night and beat the Burlington Bees 5-3. Chris Minaker homered and drove in a pair of runs, including a game-tying sacrifice fly in the seventh for Wisconsin. For the second night in a row, Johan Limonta drove in the go ahead run and the Timber Rattler bullpen held the Bees off the scoreboard.
The Bees (47-49 overall, 12-17 second half) took the lead with a little help in the bottom of the second inning. Rattler starting pitcher Nick Allen walked Burlington catcher Jeff Howell to start the frame. Allen then threw wildly on a pickoff move to first. A sacrifice bunt allowed Howell to take third. Carlos Arroyo drove Howell home with an RBI groundout.
Minaker hit a lead off homer in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 1-1. But, the Chiefs retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a homer by Brady Everett.
The Bees padded their lead in the bottom of the fifth, but they could have really put the game out of reach. The first two batters reached against Allen, then Roman Martinez hit the next batter to load the bases with no outs. The Burlington run scored when Everett grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Martinez got the final out of the inning to keep the deficit at 3-1.
Burlington starter Chris Nicoll went six innings and gave up the one run on three hits with six strikeouts. But, when he left the game, the Rattler offense went to work.
Robby Hudson started the seventh inning with a single off Yovany Domico. Hudson stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Everett. Alex Gary drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Damico got the first out of the inning, but gave up an RBI single to Mike Saunders that plated Hudson to make the score 3-2, sent Gary to third, and knocked Damico out of the game.
Minaker greeted Cody Harkcom with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. After Saunders stole second base, Limonta followed with an RBI double to drive in Saunders to put the Rattlers (10-19, 37-62) up 4-3. An RBI single by Travis Scott drove home Limonta with the final run of the inning.
Martinez, Juan Colon, and Lance Beus teamed up out of the Wisconsin bullpen and kept the Bees off the board in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Austin Bibens-Dirkx entered in the ninth inning and the first batter reached on an error. But, Bibens-Dirkx retired the next three batters for his second save and Wisconsin's second straight win.
The final game of the series is Sunday afternoon. David Asher (1-0, 3.38ERA) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin native Erik Cordier (1-1, 1.64) gets the start for the Bees. Game time is 2:00pm.
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