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MWL Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Rudy and the Rattlers Beat Cedar Rapids

September 6, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release


CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers received a great start from Will Rudy and gave him just enough offense to pick up a 3-2 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Friday night at Rise 2 Greatness Field. Rudy earned his sixth win of the season with seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings.

The Timber Rattlers (76-53 overall, 34-29 second half) used alert base running to take advantage of Cedar Rapids miscues to score twice in the top of the second inning. Jesus Chirinos walked to start the inning. Jose Acosta drove a double to the wall in right. Chirinos was pulling into third, but a poor throw into the cutoff man in the outfield got away. Chirinos sprinted home as the ball trickled to the infield grass. He would score the first run of the game just ahead of a late throw from Rixon Wingrove, the first baseman who got to the ball near the mound.

Jheremy Vargas followed with a sharp single to left. Acosta held up for a moment to make sure the ball would get through the infield, and he was pulling into third base. Left fielder Misael Urbina fired to the plate anyway and missed the cutoff man with a throw that was up the third base line on the infield grass. Vargas saw an opening to go to second and beat the throw from catcher Poncho Ruiz. Acosta noticed that no one was covering the plate and broke for home. By the time pitcher Darren Bowen got to the plate to take the throw, Acosta was sliding home with the second run.

Luke Adams was hit by a pitch for the fortieth time this season to open the Wisconsin third inning. He was still at first base with two outs and Jesus Chirinos at the plate. Adams was running on an 0-2 pitch and Chirinos lined a deep drive to the base of the wall in right. Gabriel Gonzalez played the ball of the wall well enough to hold Chirinos to a single, but it wasn't enough to keep Adams from racing home for a 3-0 lead.

Rudy was in trouble a few times early but didn't allow the Kernels (66-62, 29-35) to score. The first two batters reached in the first inning on a walk and a single. They did not advance as Rudy retired the next three batters in a row. Kevin Maitin started the second inning with a hard grounder down the third base line. He was going for two, but a strong, accurate throw from Jheremy Vargas was in time to get Maitan at second base for the first out. The next batter walked before Rudy got his first two strikeouts to end the frame.

The Kernels first two runners reached in the bottom of the third on a walk and a single, but they were left stranded again as Rudy struck out the next two batters and got the final out on a strikeout. Rudy was never in trouble over his final three innings of work and his seven strikeouts matched his single-game high as a pro and he turned the 3-0 lead over to the bullpen after six innings.

In bottom of the seventh, Yerlin Rodriguez mowed down the Kernels by striking out the side in order.

Jeferson Figueroa buckled a bit in the bottom of the eighth as he allowed a single and a double to the first two batters. Back-to-back RBI grounders by Rayne Doncon and Rixon Wingrove cut Wisconsin's lead to one run. Then, Figueroa buckled down as he got the final out of the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth for his first Midwest League save.

Friday's game ended a streak of eight consecutive games in which the Timber Rattlers had seen their opponents score first. The win also allowed the Rattlers to clinch the season series from Cedar Rapids. Wisconsin had not won a season series from the Kernels since 2017.

Game five of the series is Saturday night at Rise 2 Greatness Field. Tyler Wehrle (2-3, 4.45) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Connor Prielipp (0-1, 3.86) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm CDT. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show set to start at 6:15pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.

R H E

WIS 021 000 000 - 3 6 0

CR 000 000 020 - 2 7 1

WP: Will Rudy (6-8)

LP: Darren Bowen (2-10)

SAVE: Jeferson Figueroa (1)

TIME: 2:36

ATTN: 3,122

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