Marathon men
Published on June 23, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers turned back several Cedar Rapids Kernel opportunities and picked up a 4-2 win in 15 innings Monday night on Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Denny Almonte twice threw out the potential winning run at the plate in extra innings to keep the game going. Juan Diaz, who had three hits on the night, scored the go ahead run in the fifteenth.
The Kernels (3-2 second half, 35-38 overall) broke in front with a second inning run off Rattler starter Jake Wild. Clay Fuller walked and stole second. He scored on an RBI single by Chris Rosenbaum. Cedar Rapids added to their lead with a run in the third inning. Andrew Romine singled to start the inning. The league leader in stolen bases took second and third to give him 30 steals on the season. An RBI grounder by Efren Navarro put the Kernels up 2-0.
Five Rattler pitchers combined to keep the Kernels off the scoreboard over the final 12-2/3 ininngs. Jake Wild, Travis Mortimore, Rob Harmon, Jose Escalona, and Justin Souza struck out 18 Kernel batters and kept the Rattlers (2-3, 33-38) in the game.
Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Jordan Walden turned that 2-0 lead over to the Cedar Rapids bullpen after five solid innings. But, that didn't quite work out for the Kernels. Edilio Colina drew a one out walk from Ysmael Carmona. Ron Garth followed with an RBI double. Later in the inning, Alex Liddi singled to center and Garth scored to tie the game 2-2.
The game remained tied through regulation although the Kernels had the best chances to win the game. Cedar Rapids stranded the winning run at second base in the ninth and tenth innings. In the eleventh, with two outs and Navarro at second base, pinch hitter Anel De Los Santos singled to left. Almonte came up throwing and Navarro was out at the plate to keep the game going.
It happened again in the bottom of the fourteenth. Julio Perez started the inning with a double off Escalona and he was still there with two outs. Perez broke for third on an attempted steal. Rattler catcher Blake Ochoa's throw sailed into left field. Perez raced for the plate, but Almonte threw him out to send the game to the fifteenth.
Wisconsin finally broke through in the top of the fifteenth. Diaz singled to start the inning for the first Rattler hit since the seventh inning. A passed ball on De Los Santos moved Diaz to second and a sacrifice bunt from Colina sent Diaz to third. Garth was next to the plate and he worked the count to 3-1. That was when the breaks really went the way of the Rattlers.
The Kernels decided to walk Garth intentionally to set up a double play. But, De Los Santos missed Armstrong's pitch for ball four and Diaz raced home with the go ahead run. Later in the inning, Almonte added a little insurance with an RBI single.
Escalona struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the fifteenth. Then, Souza came on to get a strikeout to end the game and give the Rattlers the win.
Game two of the series is Tuesday afternoon. Edward Paredes (4-7, 4.67) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Trevor Bell (0-0, 2.25) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 12:00pm.
Midwest League Stories from June 23, 2008
- Marathon men - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Bandits get by Cougars - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Cougars fall in opener - Kane County Cougars
- Bees open up homestand in style - Burlington Bees
- Johnson Moves into League Lead in Wins - Great Lakes Loons
- Fundamentals cost 'Caps - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Dragons comeback falls short - Dayton Dragons
- Johnson, Loons blank Lugnuts - Lansing Lugnuts
- Chiefs Lose Quickest Game of the Season 4-1 in Burlington - Peoria Chiefs
- Talented Pitcher From '08 Draft Joins Cougars; Hamblin Inactive - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons' All-Star Joseph Krebs Promoted to Sarasota - Dayton Dragons
- Martinez Returns To Catching Duties - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Chiefs Fill Vacant Roster Spot - Peoria Chiefs
- Kernels take series finale from River Bandits, 10-3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
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