CLINTON, IA (April 18, 2019) - Will Banfield singled to deep right with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning for a Clinton LumberKings 5-4 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Thursday night. Clinton's (7-6) first walk-off win of the year was came about following by
CLINTON, IA (April 18, 2019) - Will Banfield singled to deep right with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning for a Clinton LumberKings 5-4 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Thursday night. Clinton's (7-6) first walk-off win of the year was came about following by four unanswered Timber Rattlers (6-7) runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
Demetrius Sims was much of the offense for Clinton throughout the night. The LumberKings second basemen entered the contest with just one professional career home run and ended his night going 2-for-4 with two home runs and a walk.
Sims first home run of the night came against Timber Rattlers starter Max Lazar in the bottom of the first. On the second pitch of the at-bat he flew a ball over the right center field wall for a 1-0 LumberKings leads.
In the bottom of the fourth, Clinton added to their lead. Banfield doubled with one out off the wall in left center and scored when the next batter Sean Reynolds doubled to right center field.
Ricardo Cespedes added on in the fifth with his first home run of the year and Sims crushed his second home run of the night in the bottom of the seventh to make it 4-0.
Wisconsin then rallied in the top of the eighth. The first five Timber Rattlers of the inning reached against Sean Guenther to score three runs. Gabriel Garcia had the big hit with a two-run double to center and scored on the next pitch when Je'Von Ward doubled down the line at third to put runner at the corners with only one out. Guenther then struck out Jesus Lujano and induced an inning ending double play to stop the scoring at three runs.
Zach Wolf came on to work the ninth for Clinton but could not preserve the one run lead. Garcia picked up his third RBI of the night for Wisconsin with an RBI single that tied the game. The LumberKings committed their third error of the night in the inning making the run unearned and the only one allowed by Wolf (1-1) over his two innings of work.
In the bottom of the 10th, the LumberKings pushed across the free base runner at second (part of Minor League Baseball's extra inning rules) to capture their first walk-off win of the year. Ricardo Cespedes was assigned to second to start the inning and moved to third on a passed ball. Robbie Hitt then struck out Christopher Torres for the first out and issued intentional walks to Demetrius Sims and Jerar Encarnacion to load the bases. Banfield ended the game two pitches later with a single to deep right for the 5-4 walk-off win.
Hitt (0-1) was given the loss for his 1.1 innings of work allowing just the 10th inning run - unearned.
The win is the LumberKings second straight and their fifth over their last six games. In addition, the win puts them over the .500 mark for the first time in 2019.
The LumberKings will meet the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for the second game of their three-game series on Friday night. Clinton will throw right-handed pitcher Peyton Culbertson (0-0, 3.86) while Wisconsin will counter with righty Adam Hill (1-0, 2.45). Fans looking to listen to the game can hear Erik Oas on the call at 100.3 FM WCCI and online at lumberkings.com via the tunein radio ap at 6:15 p.m. with the pregame show.
Fans be sure to enter Friday night's raffle for your chance to win an Allegiant Airlines flight voucher!
About the LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings, the only remaining Charter Member of the Midwest League, are preparing for their 64thseason in the league and their first year of affiliation with the Miami Marlins. Since the club's inception in 1937, 281 former Clinton players have gone on to reach the Major Leagues. Advertising and tickets for the 2019 season are available by calling (563)242-0727 or by visiting LumberKings.com
