MWL1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Ortega's inside job jump starts Rattlers to 5-2 win at Cedar Rapids

Published on July 9, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Angel Ortega drove in four runs, including three with an inside-the park home run, to support solid pitching and send the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to a 5-2 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field. The win snapped Wisconsin's three-game losing streak.

The Timber Rattlers (46-42 overall, 10-9 second half) had Rafael Neda at first and Dustin DeMuth at third with two outs in the top of the fourth with Angel Ortega coming to the plate. Ortega had been at the plate in the top of the second with two outs and the bases loaded, but he struck out against Kernels starter Ryan Eades to end that inning. That would not be the case in the fourth.

Ortega send a sinking line drive to center and Jason Kanzler attempted to make a diving catch. Kanzler came up short and the ball went all to the way to the wall just to the right of the 407' mark. DeMuth and Neda scored easily. Ortega never slowed heading into third base as he was waved home by third base coach Matt Ericksion. Ortega beat the relay throw with a head first slide for the three-run, inside-the-park home run.

Wisconsin tacked on two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Wisconsin had DeMuth at third and Taylor Brennan at second with one out. The Kernels brought the infield in and Jose Pena's hard smash deflected off the glove of Bryan Haar at third base for an RBI infield single to score DeMuth and get Brennan to third. Ortega's shallow fly to right was trapped by Jonathan Murphy on a sliding catch. Brennan scored, but Pena was forced at second base to make it an RBI fielder's choice for Ortega and a 5-0 lead.

Rattlers starting pitcher Clint Terry tossed five scoreless innings, but got into trouble against the Kernels (37-51, 6-12) in the bottom of the sixth. Consecutive singles by Chad Christensen and Mitch Garver and a wild pitch by Terry put runners on second and third with no outs. Terry struck out Haar for the first out. An error on a grounder off the bat of Alex Swim allowed Christensen to score, but Garver had to hold at second base. That was all for Terry.

Luke Curtis, the newest addition to the Timber Rattlers bullpen came on to relieve Terry and retired the next two batters to keep Wisconsin's lead at 5-1.

Terry struck out seven as he scattered seven hits and allowed one run in 5-1/3 innings pitched.

Curtis hit Tanner Vavra to start the bottom of the seventh inning and Vavra tagged to move to second on a fly ball deep to right-center field. Christensen singled to drive in Vavra to make the score 5-2.

Barrett Astin took over for Curtis in the eighth and gave up a one out single, but got Kanzler to ground into a 1-6-3 double play, the third twin killing by the Rattlers defense in the game, to end the inning.

Astin retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth inning, but walked Jon Murphy on four straight pitches. Walker was next and his single to left put runners on first and third. Christensen was at the plate as the tying run, but Astin ended the drama with a strikeout to earn his second save of the season.

The final game of the series is Thursday night at 6:35pm. Taylor Williams (6-1, 2.87) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Chih-Wei Hu is scheduled to start for the Kernels and will make his 2014 Midwest League debut. Tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:15pm.

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 9, 2014


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