Thomas cruises in Rattlers' third straight win
April 28, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
FORT WAYNE, IN -- Wisconsin Timber Rattler starter Justin Thomas got out of an early jam and sailed through seven strong innings of a 6-3 win over the Fort Wayne Wizards Friday night at Memorial Stadium. Thomas allowed one run on seven hits and struck out five without a walk for his second win of the season. Ron Garth had four hits to pace the Rattler offense, who rode a five run fourth inning to their third win in a row.
The Wizards (11-10) got back-to-back doubles from their first two batters in the bottom of the first. Mike Sansoe started the inning and Seth Johnston doubled him home. A single by catcher Nick Hundley put runners at first and third with one out. But, Thomas got out of the inning by getting Will Venable to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
Wisconsin (11-11) tied the game in the top of the third inning. Robby Hudson extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single to right. He went to second on an infield grounder; took off for third on a wild pitch; and scored when Hundley threw wildly to third base.
Wisconsin took advantage of two more Fort Wayne errors during a five-run fourth inning. Eddy Hernandez reached on an error to start the frame and went to third on a hit-and-run single by Bryan Sabatella. A sacrifice fly with one out by Jeffery Dominguez scored Hernandez and put the Rattlers in front 2-1. After Luis Valbuena drew a walk, Garth singled in Sabatella for a 3-1 lead and to chase Wizard starting pitcher Stevie Delabar.
JB Tucker greeted Fort Wayne reliever Joel Santo with an RBI single to center that scored Valbuena. Garth tried to make it to third and Sansoe's throw wound up in the Rattler dugout allowing Garth to score and Tucker to take third. Casey Craig reached on a walk and the Rattlers pulled off a successful double steal and Tucker crossed home plate for a 6-1 lead.
That was more than enough for Thomas. The Rattler lefty retired eleven straight batters at one point in the game. In the bottom of the seventh, Fort Wayne got a pair of runners aboard with one out, but Thomas got an inning ending 6-4-3 double play to finish his night.
Wisconsin reliever Harold Williams entered for the bottom of the eighth and promptly walked the bases loaded by issuing free passes to the first three batters of the inning. A wild pitch by Williams let one run score. A dropped popup reloaded the bases for the Wizards with no outs.
Williams struck out the next two batters, but walked Daryl Jones on a 3-2 pitch to force in another run and make it 6-3. Williams ended the inning by striking out Kyle Blanks on another 3-2 pitch.
Joe Woerman entered in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single, but struck out the next three batters for his second save of the season.
The Rattlers return home to face the West Michigan Whitecaps in a four game series that begins Saturday night. The scheduled pitchers for Saturday's game are Paul Fagan (1-1, 6.16ERA) for Wisconsin and Ramon Garcia (3-1, 1.73ERA) for West Michigan. Game time is 6:35pm.
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