Streaking Rattlers Rally for Fifth Straight Victory

BELOIT, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had to rally from a couple of early deficits, but they eventually passed the Beloit Snappers and picked up a 5-3 win at Pohlman Field on Sunday afternoon. The win was the fifth in a row for Wisconsin and it marks a season-high winning streak for them.

The Snappers (28-49 overall, 1-8 second half) took the lead in the first inning. Cobie Vance singled with one out and was at first base with two outs. John Jones ripped a double off the wall in right to put runners at second and third. John Johns blooped a single into right-center to score both runners for a 2-0 Beloit lead.

Gabriel García put the Timber Rattlers (39-40, 8-2) on the scoreboard with a lead-off home run in the top of the second inning. The homer was the eighth of the season for García.

Wisconsin tied the game in the top of the third. Brice Turang started the inning with a double. Connor McVey followed with a single to center to score Turang to make the score 2-2.

Jones gave the Snappers the lead back when he lined a two-out, solo home run to center in the bottom of the third.

Logan Gillaspie, the Wisconsin starting pitcher, walked the batter after Jones hit the home run. Then, Gillaspie retired the next ten Beloit batters in a row to let the Wisconsin offense rally.

Turang had a part in getting the Rattlers back to even in the fifth inning. He walked to start the inning. Then, he stole second for his twentieth stolen base of the season. A grounder moved Turang to third with two outs. He scored on a wild pitch after getting a good read on a pitch in the dirt. The ball bounced a short way up the first base line, but Turang was able to break for the plate and beat the flip to the pitcher covering home.

The Timber Rattlers took the lead in the top of the sixth. Jesús Lujano and Korry Howell started the inning with singles. Then, Howell stole second to put runners on second and third with no outs. Chad McClanahan hit a slow grounder near second to get Lujano home with the run to put Wisconsin up 4-3.
Leugim Castillo added a two-out, solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to give Wisconsin a two-run cushion.

The Wisconsin bullpen nailed down the game. Tyler Gillies pitched a scoreless seventh and retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth inning before giving up a single to Jones. Anthony Bender took over for Gillies and got the final out of the eighth. Bender tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

Gillies has not allowed a run in his last eight appearances and has run his scoreless streak to 10-2/3 innings.

Beloit has lost seven straight games and fell to 11-26 at home with Sunday's loss.
The final game of the series - and of Wisconsin's road trip - is scheduled for Monday night at Pohlman Field. Reid Birlingmair (2-5, 5.94) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Snappers. Wisconsin has not named a starting pitcher for Monday's game at this time. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 6:10pm.