Rattlers Roll Back Into Win Column

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pounced on the Fort Wayne TinCaps early on the way to an 8-1 victory on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field. Yujanyer Herrera allowed one hit over six innings and Jadher Areinamo was 4-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Rattlers to the win and an extra cushion in the team’s playoff race.

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The first four Timber Rattlers to bat in the bottom of the first inning singled and it led to a pair of runs for Wisconsin. Dylan O’Rae and Gregory Barrios started the inning. Areinamo followed with a single to left to drive in O’Rae. Luke Adams reached on an infield single to load the bases. Tayden Hall knocked in Barrios with a sacrifice fly to left for the 2-0 lead.

Areinamo and Adams combined to give Wisconsin (32-18) another run in the third inning. Areinamo singled to start the inning. Adams doubled to the corner in left and Areinamo raced home for a 3-0 lead.

Jadher Areinamo turns on the JETS and scores from first base! ⚡️

TinCaps 0 | Rattlers 3#tratnation pic.twitter.com/fwF0PlEv6X

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 2, 2024

Griffin Doersching put Fort Wayne (22-28) on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with a lead-off home run off Herrera. Doersching’s blast was his fifth of the season and pulled the TinCaps to within 3-1.

That hit was also the only one allowed by Herrera. He pitched six innings, walked four, hit one, and struck out five. It was an excellent rebound performance for Herrera, who allowed nine runs on nine hits in three innings at South Bend on May 25.

There was a threat from the TinCaps in Herrera’s final inning. The right-hander walked the first batter and hit the next batter. Herrera got out of the jam with help from his defense. First, he got Jay Beshears to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Then, Terence Doston made a leaping catch at the wall in left to rob Anthony Vilar of an RBI and extra bases to end the inning.

Wisconsin’s offense got going against in the sixth inning against Cole Paplham to score some insurance runs. Doston walked with one out and O’Rae singled to put runners at the corners. Paplham threw a wild pitch to allow Doston to score for a 4-1 lead. Barrios would walk to put two runners on base.

Areinamo drove in both O’Rae and Barrios with a double for his fourth hit of the game to put the Rattlers up 6-1.

Jadher Areinamo is 4-for-4 with 3 RBI in the 6th!... 🔥

TinCaps 1 | Rattlers 6#tratnation pic.twitter.com/vppOLmnrI6

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 2, 2024

Wisconsin added two more runs in the seventh inning on an RBI double by Eduarqui Fernández and an RBI single by Jheremy Vargas.

Areinamo had a chance for five hits in the game when he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning with position player Anthony Vilar on the mound. Areinamo lined a soft toss from Vilar to left by it was caught.

O’Rae was on base five times in the leadoff spot for Wisconsin. He walked three times, singled twice, stole a base, and scored two runs. O’Rae is currently on a 14-game on-base streak.

Two Timber Rattlers relievers closed out the game. Stiven Cruz walked the first batter he faced in the top of the seventh before he retired the final six batters he faced, including four via the strikeout. Aaron Rund allowed a two-out single in the top of the ninth but struck out two to seal the victory for the Rattlers.

There was good news in the playoff race for the Timber Rattlers from Cedar Rapids starting very early in the night. The Lake County Captains scored ten runs in the top of the first inning and handed the Kernels an 11-3 loss. The Kernels loss coupled with the Rattlers win means Wisconsin now leads the Cedar Rapids in the West Division by 1-1/2 games with sixteen games remaining in the first half.

The series finale is Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Alexander Cornielle (3-1, 3.29) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Fort Wayne announced Braden Nett (0-0, 11.12) as their starter. Game time is 1:10pm.

Be one of the first 1,000 fans into the stadium on Sunday to receive a Joey Wiemer bobblehead presented by Asphalt Seal & Repair. You can also bring your glove to play Catch on the Field presented by TruGreen from noon to 12:30pm – weather permitting. Brewers Sunday with 107.5 The Fan means that the players and coaches will wear their 2024 Brewers Sunday caps and jerseys. A postgame autograph session for fans is courtesy of Fox Cities Cards.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, there are several ways to follow the action. The game will be broadcast on CW-14 starting at 1:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 12:50pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.