Moquette’s Late Homer Beats Wisconsin
GRAND CHUTE, WI – Darlin Moquette hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning moments after his manager had been ejected from the game gave the Peoria Chiefs a 3-1 lead over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday at Neuroscience Group Field. The Timber Rattlers had
GRAND CHUTE, WI – Darlin Moquette hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning moments after his manager had been ejected from the game gave the Peoria Chiefs a 3-1 lead over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday at Neuroscience Group Field. The Timber Rattlers had runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the ninth but only managed one run as they fell 3-2 to the Chiefs.
Postgame Podcast with Victor Estevez and Cooper Pratt
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The game was scoreless through 5-1/2 innings in very different ways for the two teams.
Ixan Henderson, the starting pitcher for the Chiefs, allowed two hits, hit one, walked one, and struck out three through his five innings.
Wisconsin (70-43 overall, 28-19 second half) used five pitchers to get the first eighteen outs. Ryan Birchard was the starter for the Rattlers. He allowed a hit and walk in a scoreless first. Mark Manfredi was next, and he gave up hit with two hit batsmen and a walk without allowing a run. The Timber Rattlers defense turned three double plays in the first three innings, including a pair of unusual twin killings with Manfredi on the mound.
The first double play came after the first two batters reached in the second inning. Brayden Jobert hit a shallow fly to center. Luis Lara made a diving catch, but the ball popped free and Jobert was ruled safe. However, both runners had started to head back to their bases. Lara threw the ball to Cooper Pratt and the shortstop tagged the runner at second and the base for an 8-6 double play. This was the first time Peoria manager Patrick Anderson disagreed with a decision.
Manfredi walked the leadoff batter in the top of the third. The Chiefs tried to hit-and-run, but it backfired as the runner at first rounded second and failed to retouch as he headed back to first after a flyball to right was caught. The runner was out on appeal. This was the second time Anderson disagreed with a decision.
The next two pitchers were rehabbing Milwaukee Brewers relievers. Trevor Megill tossed a perfect fourth inning on ten pitches (nine strikes). Enoli Paredes worked a perfect fifth inning with nine pitches (eight strikes).
Tyler Wehrle was next man up for the Rattlers and he kept the game scoreless with a perfect top of the sixth.
Henderson retired the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth and appeared ready to send the game to the seventh without a score. Cooper Pratt had other ideas.
Pratt, the #2 prospect in the Brewers system, launched a solo home run to left. The homer, his second with the Rattlers, made it 1-0.
Cooper Pratt celebrates his 20th birthday with a massive homer to left field! 🎂@Brewers | @BrewersPD | @TimberRattlers pic.twitter.com/5jf3TXWcgI
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 18, 2024
Peoria (50-63, 24-24) is a team that is fighting for a playoff spot for the second straight year. They fought back to beat Wisconsin on Saturday. They did it again on Sunday.
In the top of the eighth, Miguel Villaroel and Kade Kretzschmar singled to start the frame against Wehrle. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Chase Davis scored Villaroel with an RBI grounder to tie the game. Wehrle got the final out of inning to keep the game tied.
There was controversy in the top of the ninth. Tre Richardson foul tipped strike three into the webbing of catcher Matt Wood’s glove. Richardson dislodged the ball from Wood’s mitt with the follow through on his swing. The play was originally called a drop by plate umpire Isabella Robb. The call was reversed into a strikeout after a discussion between Robb and base umpire Stone Garver. This was the third and final time Anderson disagreed a decision. He was eventually ejected from the game.
Four pitches later, the Chiefs had the lead. Alex Iadisernia singled on an 0-1 pitch to get on base. Moquette, who had homered in the ninth inning against Wehrle on Wednesday afternoon, hit an 0-1 pitch over the Left Field Lofts for a two-run homer and a 3-1 lead.
Wisconsin wasn’t dead. Luke Adams singled and Eduardo Garcia doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jadher Areinamo was called off the Rattlers bench with one out and runners still at second and third. Areinamo blooped a single to left to score Adams and send Garcia to third.
The Rattlers tried to steal the tying run with Tayden Hall at the plate. Areinamo stole second and drew a throw from catcher Leonardo Bernal. Shortstop Brody Moore threw back home with Garcia breaking for the plate and nabbed the runner to prevent the tying run from scoring.
Hall extended the inning with a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Hedbert Pérez followed with a hard grounder right at the first baseman for the final out of the game.
The Timber Rattlers are off on Monday. They return to action on Tuesday with the first game of a six-game series against the Great Lakes Loons. Will Rudy (5-7, 5.01) is scheduled to start for Wisconsin. Game time at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan is 6:05pm CDT. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show set to go at 5:45pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.