Timber Rattlers Take Home Opener for 2023

GRAND CHUTE, WI – There were warm feelings all around Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium Tuesday night after the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers won their home opener over the Peoria Chiefs. Wisconsin defeated the Chiefs 8-3 in front of 3,180 fans for the warmest home opener in franchise history.

Click here for the boxscore of this game

Wisconsin (2-2) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first inning on a 75-degree night. Eric Brown Jr, who was making his Timber Rattlers debut, started the frame with a single, went to second on a wild pitch, and took third on a sacrifice bunt. Joe Gray Jr knocked in Brown with an infield grounder.

The Timber Rattlers added to their lead in the second as they loaded the bases with no outs. Je’Von Ward ripped a double to the wall in right field to score two runs for a 3-0 advantage.

In the third, Ernesto Martinez Jr gave the fans in the new seating area above the wall in left field something to remember as he lined a two-run home run to them for a 5-0 lead.

Peoria (0-4) got back into the game in the top of the fourth inning on some sloppy defense by the Timber Rattlers behind starting pitcher Tyler Woessner. Thomas Francisco drove in the first run with a two-out RBI single that put runners at the corners. Then, a pitch from Woessner popped out of catcher Darrien Miller’s glove. Francisco raced for second and Miller hurried a throw that deflected off Brown’s glove into left field. The runner from third scored and Francisco took his place at third.

Osvaldo Tovalin was next and his grounder to first was missed by Martinez for an error to score Francisco and Wisconsin’s lead was down to two runs.

Woessner, who had retired nine of the first ten batters he faced in the game, went back out for the fifth inning and pitched around a one-out walk in the frame to qualify for his first professional win. The Rattlers starter struck out five and walked two before he turned the game over to the bullpen.

In the seventh, the Chiefs had a threat going against Russell Smith with two runners on and one out. Smith rose to the challenge and struck out the next two batters to maintain the lead.

The Rattler offense rewarded Smith with an insurance run in their half of the seventh. Robert Moore drew a walk and Gray followed with a single. Miller also singled and Moore scored for a 6-3 lead.

Moore added to the Wisconsin lead in the eighth inning with a two-run single for an 8-3 advantage.

Karlos Morales, who came on to get the final out of the Peoria eighth inning pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.

Gray, who had two hits on Tuesday, has at least one hit in each of the first four games of the season and is 6-for-17 on the year. Moore has four RBI in the last two games. Martinez has homered in two straight games for the Rattlers.

Game two of the series is Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Alexander Cornielle is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The Chiefs will counter with Zane Mills. Game time is 12:10pm.

Fans age 55 and older receive a box seat ticket, a Reversable Bucket Hat, a beverage, and a brat or hot dog for $25 courtesy of Network Health and 103.9 WVBO. This offer is available online this season by using the link above and using coupon code “FOX”. Fans may order the Silver Foxes Special in person at the Box Office or over the phone (920) 733-4152, too. The Silver Foxes Special is also available to active and retired military personnel.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM starts with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 11:50am. Fans can listen on the radio, on the First Pitch app, or at this link.