Rattlers Stumble at South Bend
MWL Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Rattlers Stumble at South Bend

Published on September 4, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


SOUTH BEND, IN - The South Bend Cubs beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 7-4 in a seven-inning game on Thursday night at Four Winds Field. The Cubs took advantage of wildness from Wisconsin pitchers, two errors from the Wisconsin defense, and a lack of the big hit from the Rattlers offense for the win.

Brian Kalmer, who hit a two-run home run to break a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning in the of the suspended game to lead the Cubs to a 5-3 win, got things started in the regularly scheduled game. Kalmer stepped to the plate with runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the first and knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Drew Bowser added to the lead with a two-out, two-run single.

Wisconsin (54-73 overall, 20-42 second half) got on the board in the top of the second on a two-out, RBI double by Kay-Lan Nicasia.

The Cubs (55-73, 32-30) took scored an unearned run in the third. Miguel Pabon walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored when first baseman Juan Baez, playing first for the first time as a professional, couldn't scoop a low throw from Jes ú s Made on what would have been the final out of the inning.

Marco Dinges, who had walked and scored in the second inning, led off the top of the fourth with a long home run to center. It was his ninth as a Rattler and pulled Wisconsin back to within two runs.

South Bend put more distance between themselves and the Rattlers when Ariel Armas doubled in two runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth to give the Cubs a 6-2 lead.

The Rattlers best chance at a comeback came in the top of the sixth. Dinges walked to start the inning. Reliever Connor Spencer botched a grounder back to the mound from Baez and a wild throw put runners on second and third with one out. Luiyin Alastre singled to knock in Dinges. A walk to Nicasia loaded the bases to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.

There would be no comeback. Spencer got a strikeout for the second out. Grayson Moore took over and got the final out on a flyball to center.

Rafael Morel manufactured a run for the Cubs in the bottom of the sixth for one more bit of insurance. He walked, stole second, went to third on an errant pickoff throw by reliever Yerlin Rodriguez, and scored with a nifty slide to beat Baez's throw home after a grounder to first by Edgar Alvarez.

The Rattlers tried again in their final at bat. Made walked and Andrew Fischer doubled off the wall in right to put runners at second and third with no outs. Josh Adamczewski drove in Made with a grounder to second and that was as close as Wisconsin would get.

The Timber Rattlers stranded eight runners and went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring positions. Five of the seven walks issued by Wisconsin pitchers scored in the game.

Dinges walked twice, homered one, and scored three runs as he went 1-for-2 in the game.

Game four of the series is scheduled for Friday night at Four Winds Field. Travis Smith (1-2, 4.09) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Brooks Caple (3-8, 6.44) is set to start for the Cubs. Game time is 6:05pm CDT. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starts with the pregame show at 5:45pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live, too.

R H E

WIS 010 101 1 - 4 7 2

SB 301 201 x - 7 5 1

HOME RUN:

WIS:

Marco Dinges (9th, 0 on in 4th inning off Nazier Mulé, 0 out)

WP: Luis Rujano (1-3)

LP: Sam Garcia (1-10)

SAVE: Grayson Moore (5)

TIME: 2:27

ATTN: 4,875

Check out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from September 4, 2025


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