Rattlers Close Road Trip With 7-2 Win at Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers ended their eleven-game road trip with a 7-2 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field on Thursday night. Nelson Hernandez tossed another solid game and the offense delivered key hits when they were needed.
Wisconsin (24-30) scored a run in the first and a run in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Tanner Kiest threw a wild pitch with two outs in the first inning to allow Joantgel Segovia to score. In the second, Kiest uncorked another wild pitch with two outs and Tristen Lutz scored.

Cedar Rapids (25-26) tied the game in the third inning on a two-out, two-run single by Jose Miranda.

The game remained tied until the top of the sixth inning. Demi Orimoloye singled to start the inning and stole second. Then, Gabriel García drew a one-out walk. Lutz grounded a double down the line at third and Orimoloye scored the go-ahead run. Trever Morrison was next and he hit a sacrifice fly to center to score García for a 4-2 lead.

Timber Rattlers starting pitcher Nelson Hernández allowed one more hit after the single by Miranda in the third. He would go six innings, allow four hits, walk one, and strike out five to put himself in position for his seventh win of the season.

Robbie Hitt was the first Wisconsin reliever and he retired the first four batters he faced before giving up a double to Royce Lewis in the eighth. Hitt struck out the next batter, but gave up a single to Miranda that put Kernels on the corners.

Rodrigo Benoit was called in from the Wisconsin bullpen to relieve Hitt and he struck out Jacob Pearson to end the inning.

Wisconsin tacked on some insurance in the ninth inning. The frame started with Morrison being hit by a pitch and Nick Roscetti reaching on a bunt single. Segovia followed with a single to left - his third hit of the ninth - to send Morrison home. An errant throw to the plate allowed Roscetti and Segovia each move up a base.

A wild pitch by Kernels reliever Jared Finkel allowed Roscetti to score the second run of the inning. Payton Henry followed with a single through the drawn-in infield to score Segovia with the final run of the inning.

Benoit pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to close out the game.

Hernández won his sixth straight decision and tossed his seventh quality start of 2018 with his performance on Thursday night. He is tied with Maverik Buffo of the Lansing Lugnuts for the Midwest League lead in wins.

Wisconsin ended the road trip with a 4-7 record. They were 2-2 at Quad Cities, 1-3 at Kane County, and 1-2 at Cedar Rapids.
The Timber Rattlers return home to host the Kane County Cougars on Friday night. Wilfred Salaman (0-0, 21.60) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Jeff Bain (3-1, 2.91) is set to start for the Cougars. Game time at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is 7:05pm.
The first 500 children ages 14 & under will receive a Timber Rattlers eye-patch from North Shore Bank as part of Pirate Night. The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a poster of Timber Rattlers pitcher Carlos Herrera courtesy of Brew Pub Pizza.

Arty's Old Fashioned drinks will be available to fans 21 and over for $3 on an Arty's Old Fashioned Friday with WIXX. Stick around after the game to enjoy a FOX11 postgame fireworks display. Children 14 and under may participate in Kids Run the Bases thanks to Menasha Corporation after the fireworks display.
If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are many ways to catch the action. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:45pm. The broadcast is also available on the Tune In and IHeart Radio apps. Subscribers to MiLB.tv can watch the game over the internet.