Timber Rattlers Win on Star Wars Night

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - The force was strong with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers during Star Wars Night as they took an 8-3 win Friday night over the Cedar Rapids Kernels in front of 2,608 fans at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin (23-25) also claimed an early 1-0 advantage in this four-game series against Cedar Rapids (27-20).

The Timber Rattlers jumped to a 7-0 lead, which was not the start the Kernels were looking for. Jake Gatewood opened the scoring in a six-run fourth inning with an RBI double before Monte Harrison produced a sacrifice fly. Sthervin Matos and Luis Aviles added RBI singles to extend the lead. A wild pitch allowed Blake Allemand to score another run, and Isan Diaz delivered an RBI double to give Wisconsin its seven-run advantage.

Seemingly a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away before the six-run rally, Wisconsin scored the game's first run in the top of the third. Allemand kept the inning alive with a two-out single and scored from first base on an RBI double from Aviles.

Cedar Rapids gained a new hope after scoring in the sixth and seventh innings. Nelson Molina hit a two-out RBI double in the sixth to bring in Daniel Kihle and get Cedar Rapids on the scoreboard. Sean Miller scored in the seventh inning on a throwing error and trimmed the Kernels' deficit to 7-2.

The empire struck back in the eighth, and Wisconsin picked up an 8-2 lead. Alan Sharkey reached on a two-out double and scored when Matos' high pop up bounced off a Kernels glove in fair territory. The unearned run was the first tally allowed by reliever Michael Theofanopoulos since April 15. He had a scoreless inning streak of 18.2 straight frames with no runs allowed.

The bats awakened for the Kernels but only for one final run in the bottom of the ninth. Jermaine Palacios got a leadoff single and was driven in by Luis Arraez. Due to obstruction at first base, Arraez received credit for an RBI triple. LaMonte Wade also drew a walk in the inning for a 27-game on-base streak, the best active streak in the Midwest League.

Wisconsin's David Burkhalter was a phantom menace who was revealed as the winning pitcher Friday, improving to 3-2 while allowing only one run in 5.2 innings pitched. Cedar Rapids' Dereck Rodriguez gave up a career-high seven runs over just 3.2 innings pitched and dropped to 1-6 as the losing pitcher.

Game two of this four-game series is set for 6:35 p.m. Saturday. Right-hander Miles Nordgren (2-1, 2.87 ERA) will start for the Kernels against Timber Rattlers right-hander Jordan Yamamoto (1-2, 2.87 ERA). Catch the action with Morgan Hawk and Chris Kleinhans-Schulz on 1450 KMRY AM and 93.1 KMRY FM and online at www.kmryradio.com, www.kernels.com and MiLB.TV.

Saturday's contest will be followed by postgame fireworks sponsored by Bank of the West, which will also give away free tote bags to the first 1,000 fans at the game. Gates open for Saturday's tilt at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for all Kernels home games and the 2016 Midwest League All-Star Game are available at www.kernels.com, the Kernels Ticket Office and by calling (319) 896-7560. The Kernels Ticket Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The ticket office is closed on Sundays except on Kernels Sunday home dates when it will open at 11:00 a.m.