Rattlers Bounce Back with 2-0 Win at Quad Cities

DAVENPORT, IA – Three Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Ben Metzinger provided the offense for Wisconsin with an RBI single in the seventh inning and another in the ninth.

Click here for the boxscore of this game

Both starting pitchers were outstanding in the game.

Joseph Hernandez allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out three over six innings as Wisconsin’s starter. The only jam he was in happened in the fourth inning when he allowed a lead-off walk and a one-out single. Hernandez got out of the inning with a strikeout and his own nifty defensive play on a comebacker to the mound. The right-hander retired the final eight batters he faced in the game and would eventually pick up his first Midwest League victory.

River Bandits starter Tyson Guerrero faced the minimum through six no-hit innings. The only base runner he allowed was a four-pitch walk to Eduardo García with one out in the second inning. Guerrero got the next batter to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. Guerrero, who struck out eight, retired the side in order from the third through the sixth innings.

Wisconsin (6-5) broke through in the seventh inning with a two-out rally. Joe Gray Jr coaxed a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Eric Centrola. Then, Gray stole second base to get into scoring position. Ben Metzinger worked the count full and punched a sharp single to right. Juan Carlos Negret fielded the ball in the outfield and fired a one-hop strike to the plate, but Gray got in just under the tag to score the go-ahead run.

Karlos Morales took over for Hernandez and tossed two scoreless, hitless innings to preserve the slim lead.

Metzinger struck again for some insurance in the top of the ninth. Robert Moore reached on a single and went to second on an errant pickoff throw by Wander Arias. Metzinger grounded a single through the middle and Moore scored without a play for a 2-0 lead.

Kaleb Bowman closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.

The game was almost a mirror image of Tuesday’s game. The River Bandits (4-6) held the Rattlers to a pair of hits on Tuesday in a 2-0 victory. Additionally, Tuesday’s game was scoreless until the River Bandits scored a run in the seventh inning to take a 1-0 lead.

Gray’s walk in the seventh inning didn’t just set up the go-ahead run. He also extended his season-opening on-base streak to ten games.

The series continues Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Cam Wagoner (1-1, 4.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Quad Cities has named Noah Cameron (1-0, 1.00) as their starter. Game time is 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM 1280, WNAM starting with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 6:10pm and on the internet at this link. The game is also available to subscribers of Bally Live.