Silver Hawks outrally Timber Rattlers
April 22, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
SOUTH BEND, IN -- The South Bend Silver Hawks rode a seven run third inning to a 9-7 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Saturday night at Coveleski Stadium. Orlando Mercado hit a three run homer and Eduardo Baeza worked through some early struggles to get the win.
Michael Saunders put Wisconsin (7-9) in front early with an RBI ground out in the top of the first inning. Robby Hudson made it 2-0 with a single to right in the top of the second.
South Bend (6-10) rang up seven runs in the bottom of the third inning on just two hits. The first two batters in the inning reached on an error and a walk. Pedro Ciriaco dropped a sacrifice bunt down the third base line. Ron Garth fielded the ball cleanly, but fired the ball down the right field line and both runners scored to tie the game.
Rattler starting pitcher Jason Snyder hit the next batter to put two runners on base for Justin Upton. Upton, the top pick in the 2005 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, gave South Bend a 3-2 lead with a double down the left field line for his first professional hit and RBI. A fielder's choice scored the fourth run of the inning. Then, Mercado launched a three run homer to left and it was 7-2 Silver Hawks.
The Rattlers rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning. An RBI ground out by Casey Craig with two runners on base drove in the first run of the inning, but was also the second out. Luis Valbuena drew a walk and stole second with Garth at the plate.
Garth singled to center and two runs crossed the plate. Mike Saunders followed by lining a double to left and Garth scored all the way from first to get the Rattlers to within a run.
South Bend went back up by two with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Thomson drew a walk to start the inning against Ruben Flores, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch by Harold Williams.
Wisconsin got to within 8-7 with a run in the eighth, but it could have been more. Chao Kuan Wu singled and Bryan Sabatella doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. Hudson sent a grounder to the shortstop to score Wu, but Sabatella was out trying to go to third base for the first out. Hudson was running on the first pitch to Jeff Dominguez, but Dominguez lined into a double play to end the inning.
South Bend got one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by Thomson.
Jonathan Valverde came on in the ninth and retired the side in order for his fourth save.
The Rattlers and Silver Hawks continue their series on Sunday afternoon. Wisconsin has Justin Thomas (1-1, 1.00ERA) as their scheduled starter. South Bend plans on having Anthony Cupps (0-2, 18.32ERA) on the hill. Game time is 12:30pm CDT.
Midwest League Stories from April 22, 2006
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