Rattlers Defeat Cedar Rapids 9-2

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 9-2 on Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Rattlers starting pitcher Trey Supak picked up his second straight win and Nathan Rodriguez provided some pop with a home run and three RBI to get Wisconsin back to the .500 mark.

Wisconsin (19-19) took the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Jose Cuas singled and went to second on a stolen base. Trever Morrison singled to left and Cuas took third. Rodriguez drove in Cuas with a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 advantage.

The Kernels (24-17) tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the third. Brandon Lopez singled to start the inning, but was erased on a force play at second on a grounder off the bat of Ben Rortvedt, who took second on a poor throw to first. Christian Cavaness singled with two outs to knock in Rortvedt with the tying run.

Morrison put the Rattlers back in front with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The home run was the second of the season for Morrison.

Supak left after six innings. The unearned run was the only run he allowed on the night. The right-hander struck out five, walked one, and gave up only three hits.

Rodriguez gave the Rattlers some insurance in the bottom of the seventh inning when he lined a solo home run over the wall in left. The home run was his first of the season and the Rattlers were up 3-1.

Wisconsin blew the game open in the bottom of the eighth inning by scoring six runs on two hits. Demi Orimoloye scored from third on a wild pitch for the first run of the inning. Later in the frame, Morrison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to get home another tally. Rodriguez was next and he hit a slow chopper up the first base line for an infield single to score one run. An errant throw to first rolled down the line in right and the other two runners scored as Rodriguez hustled around to third base. Ronnie Gideon capped the inning with an RBI double to send Rodriguez across the plate for a 9-1 lead.

Parker Berberet, who relieved Supak at the start of the seventh inning, gave up a solo home run to Jermaine Palacios with one out in the top of the ninth to make the score 9-2. The run snapped Berberet's scoreless streak at 17-1/3 innings pitched.
Game three of the series is Saturday night. David Burkhalter (0-0, 5.06) is set to start for the Timber Rattlers. Cedar Rapids has named Eduardo Del Rosario (2-2, 5.29) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:35pm.
Saturday is a North Shore Bank Family Night with WIXX;. The first Festival Foods fireworks display of the season is set for after the game. After the fireworks, children 14 and under may run the bases courtesy of Tundraland.
If you can't make it to the stadium, the radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:15pm. The broadcast is also available on TuneIn Radio, IHeartRadio, and MiLB.tv.