Rattlers swept by Whitecaps
Published on July 25, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps built a commanding 9-0 lead and defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 9-4 Friday night at Fifth Third Ballpark. The win gave the Caps a three-game sweep of the Rattlers. Jon Kibler pitched seven shutout innings and struck out eight for his tenth win of the season. Justin Henry went 3-for-3 with two RBI to pace West Michigan's 14-hit attack
Ronnie Bourquin gave West Michigan (17-16 second half, 54-47 overall) a 2-0 lead with a long home run to right-center in the bottom of the second. Kyle Peter made the score 3-0 with an RBI double later in the inning.
West Michigan plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but they did it with only one hit. Rattler starting pitcher Brett Lorin issued a two-out walk to Jordan Newton and turned the game over to the Rattler bullpen. Keith Meyer entered the game and walked Peter to put two runners on base.
Then, Meyer threw a pair of wild pitches that allowed Newton to score and Peter to take third base. An RBI single by Brandon Douglas drove in Peter for a 5-0 Whitecap lead.
West Michigan put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth inning with four runs. Henry's two-run single knocked Meyer out of the game. Joe Kantakevich relieved but, gave up an RBI grounder to Chris Carlson and an RBI double to Alex Avila before getting the final out of the inning. West Michigan had a 9-0 advantage when the inning ended.
Kibler allowed five hits and walked only two as he became the fourth pitcher in the Midwest League to reach double digits in wins this season.
Wisconsin (7-26, 38-61) got on the board in the top of the eighth inning off reliever Kelvin Cedano. Israel Nunez started the inning by lining a pitch just inside the pole in left for his first professional home run. Later in the inning, Denny Almonte hit a three-run blast to deep right-center to make the score 9-4.
But, Cedano closed out the eighth and Andrew Hess worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to finish off West Michigan's three-game sweep of the Timber Rattlers.
The Rattlers return home and begin a nine-day homestand on Saturday night. The first game of the homestand is against the Beloit Snappers. Jake Wild (4-6, 4.05) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Beloit sends Shooter Hunt, a first round supplemental pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 draft, to the mound to make his Midwest League debut on Saturday night.
Midwest League Stories from July 25, 2008
- Kernels rally, but fall in extra innings, 7-6, to Burlington - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Sweep completed with lopsided win - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Hawks Extend Winning Streak to Eight - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Bees Blow Lead in Ninth but Win in Ten - Burlington Bees
- Perez, Silverio Help Chop LumberKings - Great Lakes Loons
- Quad Cities clobbers Lansing, 13-4 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Cougars Hammer Wizards in Finale - Kane County Cougars
- Kozma extends hitting streak to 11, Pham drives in four - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Rattlers swept by Whitecaps - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Dragons Come From Behind to Win, Sweep Chiefs - Dayton Dragons
- Chiefs Fall 3-2 Friday - Peoria Chiefs
- Snappy Visits Milton YMCA Youth Baseball - Beloit Sky Carp
- Chiefs add three players from Boise - Peoria Chiefs
- Tonight's Game Sold Out - Great Lakes Loons
- Bees homer five times in 14-7 romp over Kernels - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Snappers to Host First Ever Pohlman Field Sleepover - Beloit Sky Carp
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