MWL1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Rattlers' starter goes seven shutout innings in victory

Published on August 7, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


PEORIA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers needed Preston Gainey to go deep into Thursday's game at Peoria. The right-hander responded with seven scoreless innings and a professional single-game high twelve strikeouts to earn the win as the Rattlers defeated the Chiefs 6-1 at Dozer Park.

The Chiefs (60-55 overall, 23-23 second half) threatened to score in the first inning. Carson Kelly and Ronald Castillo singled with two outs to put runners on the corners for Peoria. A pitch with Rowan Wick at the plate got away from catcher Rafael Neda and Kelly broke for the plate. However, Neda got to the ball and fired to Gainey covering the plate to get Kelly for the final out of the first.

Wisconsin (63-52, 27-19) grabbed the lead in the top of the third inning. Omar Garcia singled and Neda doubled to start the frame. A balk by pitcher Luis Perdomo was called when he dropped the ball on the mound with Angel Ortega at the plate. That allowed Garcia to score from third. Ortega blooped a single into right to allow Neda to score for a 2-0 lead.

The Rattlers tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth inning on a couple more Peoria miscues. The Rattlers loaded the bases against Perdomo with a double by David Denson, an infield single by Taylor Brennan, and Omar Garcia being hit by a pitch. Neda's hard smash to third went through the legs of the fielder and the ball wound up in left field to allow Denson and Brennan to score. Later in the inning, Angel Ortega stole second and the throw went into center to allow Garcia to score for a 5-0 advantage.

Wisconsin had used two relievers on Wednesday night to close out a win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Harvey Martin pitched two scoreless innings earlier on Thursday in the Rattlers 2-1 victory over the Chiefs in the conclusion of a suspended game from Sunday afternoon. Luke Curtis was the only truly fresh arm in the Wisconsin bullpen. That's why Wisconsin needed Gainey to go deep no matter what on Thursday night.

It was not an issue for the 2012 draftee out of the United States Naval Academy. Gainey allowed one hit after the first inning and worked his way out of a pair of jams to toss his seven shutout innings.

In the fifth Juan Herrera singled and Cesar Valera walked. Gainey stopped the rally as he got Rafael Medina to ground into a nifty 3-6-1 double play and Garcia made a diving catch in left on a soft, sinking liner off the bat of Richy Pedroza. In the sixth, Gainey waked CJ McElroy, Jr. and Kelly with one out and struck out the next two batters.

Wisconsin added a sixth run when Denson singled to right to drive in Johnny Davis in the top of the seventh.

Gainey went back out for the bottom of the seventh and struck out Herrera, Valera, and Medina in order to get complete and even dozen strikeouts in the game. The twelve strikeouts in a game are the most by a Timber Rattlers pitcher this season.

Peoria did get a run in the bottom of the eighth against Curtis. Vaughn Bryan doubled, stole third, and scored on a grounder to short off the bat of McElroy.

Curtis would pitch a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth with two more strikeouts to close out the Chiefs.

The Timber Rattlers are a season high eleven games over .500 and are now in a three-way tie for first place in the second half standings for the Western Division.

The Rattlers and Chiefs will meet again on Friday night at Dozer Park. Javier Salas (0-0, 0.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria has named Rob Kaminsky (6-2, 1.75) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 7:00pm. Tune in for the broadcast on AM 1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:40pm.

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 7, 2014


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