Kernels Top Timber Rattlers to Start Second Half

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers dropped their second half opener with a 5-4 loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field on Thursday night. The Rattlers had a pair of leads, but the Kernels answered with a pair of home runs.
Wisconsin (31-39 overall, 0-1 second half) grabbed the lead with a two-out rally in the top of the second inning. Zach Clark drew a walk and Kenny Corey followed with a single to right to put runners on the corners. Jay Feliciano was next and he sent a sinking line drive to left. Jacob Pearson tried to make a diving catch and the ball skipped past him. Feliciano wound up at second with a two-run double. This was the fourth straight game Wisconsin has taken a 2-0 lead.
The Kernels (33-37, 1-0) erased Wisconsin's lead with three straight hits in the bottom of the third. David Bañuelos doubled with one out and Akil Baddoo followed with a sharp single to center to put runners on the corners. Royce Lewis was next and he lined a homer just fair and just over the wall in left to put the Kernels up 3-2.

The Rattlers rallied to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Tristen Lutz reached on a lead-off double. Payton Henry drove in Lutz from third with a one-out single to even the score 3-3.

Feliciano put the Rattlers back in front in the top of the sixth inning. Clark singled, stole second, and went to third on a ground out by Corey. Then, Feliciano smacked a single through the drawn-in infield to send Clark home with the go-ahead run.

Wisconsin's 4-3 lead almost made it through the bottom of the sixth inning. Almost. Wisconsin starting pitcher Christian Taugner gave up a lead-off double to Jose Miranda, but retired the next two batters while keeping Miranda at second base. 

Taugner got ahead of Rodriguez with two quick strikes, but Rodriguez fouled off three two-strike pitches as he worked the count to 2-2. The Rattlers thought they had Rodriguez on a check swing for strike three, but he was ruled to have held on the swing and the count went full. Rodriguez fouled off one more pitch to set up the decisive tenth pitch of the at bat.

Rodriguez sent a high fly to right field that kept carrying. Lutz raced back and reached out for the ball at the wall, but missed the ball and crashed into the wall. Lutz fell to the ground and couldn't get after the ball on the warning track. Clark sprinted over from center, but by the time he got to the ball and sent it back to the infield Rodriguez was around third and heading for home. Rodriguez scored without a throw and the Kernels were up 5-4 on the two-out, two-run, inside-the-park home run.

Trever Morrison singled with one out in the top of the seventh inning to chase Kernels starter Randy Dobnak from the game. All reliever Jovani Moran did when he entered from the Cedar Rapids bullpen was strike out the next two batters in the seventh and strike out the side in order in the eighth. Moran closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Feliciano went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI, but he could not prevent Wisconsin's seventh straight loss.
Game two of the series is set for Friday night at Perfect Game Field. Dylan File (5-3, 3.67) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Bailey Ober (3-1, 5.58) is the scheduled starter for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:15pm. The broadcast is also available on the Tune In and IHeart Radio apps. Subscribers to MiLB.tv can watch the game over the internet.