Wisconsin rally stuns Cougars and stop streaks
May 27, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
GENEVA, IL -- The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers ended their four game losing streak and the nine game winning streak of the Kane County Cougars with a shocking 8-6 win Saturday night at Elfstrom Stadium. The three run rally in the top of the ninth inning came against a closer who had been perfect this season. Nick Prosise homered and drove in four runs to lead the Rattler offense.
Luis Valbuena extended his hitting streak to nine games with a lead off triple in the second inning. Prosise drove in Valbuena with a single for the first run of the game. Prosise would score later in the inning on an infield groundout by Eddy Hernandez and the Rattlers (19-29) had a 2-0 lead.
Kane County (29-19) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second. An error allowed Steve Kleen to take third base instead of being forced out at second. Isaac Omura grounded into a double play and Kleen scored from third.
The Cougars took a 4-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. A wild pitch by Rattler starting pitcher Jason Snyder allowed Mike Massaro to score the tying run and move the go ahead run to third. A walk to Jeff Baisley put another runner on base for the Cougars and Kleen sent both runners home with a double to the gap in rightcenter.
Jose Pineda singled in another run for the Cougars in the bottom of the fifth. The single made the score 5-2 and knocked Snyder out of the game.
The Rattlers rallied in the top of the sixth inning. Casey Craig started the inning with a double. An RBI single by Curtis Ledbetter drove in Craig and the Rattlers trailed 5-3. After a fielder's choice forced Ledbetter at second and put Valbuena on first. Prosise was next and he lined his first professional homer into the picnic deck in left to tie the game 5-5.
But, Kane County quickly retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Rattler reliever David Asher walked Justin Sellers, the ninth hitter in the Cougar order, to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. One out later, Nick Blasi lined a double down the left field line to put the Cougars up 6-5. Nick Allen relieved Asher and hit the first batter he faced, but got out of the inning with no further damage.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Rattlers put the tying run on second and the go ahead run on first with two outs. But, Cougar closer Steve Sharpe got pinch hitter Michael Saunders to line out to right for the final out of the inning.
Sharpe, who had been 10-for-10 in save opportunities this season, struggled in the top of the ninth and the Rattlers cashed in with three runs. Eddy Hernandez singled to start the inning. Ron Garth followed with a bunt single. A walk to Craig loaded the bases. Ledbetter tied the game with a sacrifice fly to score Hernandez with the tying run.
A walk to Valbuena reloaded the bases and Prosise stepped up to the plate. He sent a slow roller to Baisley, the Cougar third baseman. Baisley went to second for the force on Valbuena and the second out of the inning. Valbuena broke got a good take out slide on Frank Martinez forcing a wild throw to first allowing both Garth and Craig score for an 8-6 lead.
Joe Woerman retired the first two batters of the bottom of the ninth, but ran into trouble on a bloop single by Isaac Omura and back-to-back walks. Then, Woerman nailed down the victory by getting Massaro to ground into a game ending force out at second.
This was only the second time this season that the Rattlers have won a game they trailed heading into the ninth inning.
The final game of the four game series is Sunday night. Justin Thomas (4-4, 2.53ERA) is slated to start for the Rattlers. Kane County counters with Jason Ray (3-1, 3.46ERA). Scheduled start time is 6:00pm.
Midwest League Stories from May 27, 2006
- Cougars Win Streak Stops at Nine - Kane County Cougars
- Wisconsin rally stuns Cougars and stop streaks - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Snappers Win on Walk-off Homer - Burlington Bees
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- Devil Rays Lose Second Consecutive to Whitecaps - Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
- Ovalle Blasts Walk-Off Home Run to End Losing Streak - Beloit Sky Carp
- Sadlowski throws eight scoreless, carries no-hit bid into the fifth - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Hendricks Three Run Double Cements Hawks Win - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Silver Hawks Come Back Stuns Dragons - Dayton Dragons
- Tight game turns to a blowout win - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Lugnuts Throttle Wizards - Lansing Lugnuts
- Bees Continue Winning Ways - Burlington Bees
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