MWL1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Rattlers Third Straight Win Slips Away In The Ninth

Published on May 11, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


MIDLAND, MI -- The Great Lakes Loons rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 6-5 win at Dow Diamond over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The game winning rally denied the Rattlers their first three game winning streak of the season. Wisconsin committed four errors on Friday night, including one on the final play of the game that allowed the winning run to score.

The Rattlers (8-23) scored three times in the top of the third inning to grab the lead. Alex Meneses drove in two runs with a triple. A single by Carlos Triunfel knocked in Meneses.

Timber Rattler starting pitcher Nathan Adcock caught a bit of a hiccup in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Adolfo Gonzalez to start the inning and also walked Preston Mattingly with one out. Then, Alex Liddi could not handle a grounder off the bat Francisco Lizarraga allowing Gonzalez to score and Mattingly to take third. An RBI ground out by Carlos Santana pushed Mattingly across the plate.

Another Rattler error helped to set up a pair of runs in bottom of the fifth. With a runner at first and one out, Andy Hargrove could not handle a grounder and suddenly the Loons had runners at second and third. Gonzalez knocked in a run with a groundout. Eduardo Perez followed with an RBI double and Great Lakes was up 4-3.

Then, the Rattlers came back to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Carlos Peguero drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a single by Liddi. Later in the inning, Peguero wound up at third base as Liddi was caught on the back end of a double steal. Kuo Hui Lo's groundball to third was booted by Justin Fuller and Peguero scored to even the game 4-4.

Gavin Dickey reached on a bunt single to start the top of the seventh. Meneses dropped a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error allowed him to reach and Dickey to take third base. Triunfel followed with a sacrifice fly to right and Dickey scored the go ahead run.

Adcock worked a career high six innings and all four runs against him were unearned. He struck out five while walking four before turning things over to the Timber Rattler bullpen. Rob Harmon did the job in the seventh and eighth. He allowed one hit and struck out a pair as he kept the Loons off the board.

But in the ninth, Harmon walked Scott Van Slyke to start the inning. Lefty Rollie Gibson entered the game to face the switch-hitting Fuller and flip him around to the right side. Fuller dropped a sacrifice bunt and moved Van Slyke into scoring position. Bridger Hunt was next and he lined a single to left to score Van Slyke with the tying run. Gibson got Matt Berezay on a strike out for the second out. Hunt stole second on a 1-2 pitch to Gonzalez that was ruled a ball. Gonzalez grounded the next pitch toward left. Liddi cut it off, but his throw to first was low and Leury Bonilla couldn't make the pick at first. As the ball trickled away from Bonilla, Hunt sprinted around third and scored the winning run.

The Rattlers return home to begin a brief two-day, three-game series against the Peoria Chiefs on Saturday night. Anthony Varvaro (1-3, 6.59) is scheduled to start for Wisconsin. Peoria will counter with Mike Billek (0-0, 9.00) as their starting pitcher. Game time at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium is 6:35pm.

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Midwest League Stories from May 11, 2007


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