Cedar Rapids Stops Rattlers Six-Game Win Streak with Late Rally
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers tried to hold off the Cedar Rapids Kernels all night Friday at Rise 2 Greatness Field. The Rattlers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Kernels kept the pressure on and eventually broke through with two runs in the
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers tried to hold off the Cedar Rapids Kernels all night Friday at Rise 2 Greatness Field. The Rattlers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Kernels kept the pressure on and eventually broke through with two runs in the seventh inning. Cedar Rapids had to escape a late jam of their own in the eighth before they eventually posted a 2-1 victory over the Rattlers in both team’s first action since Sunday.
Click here for the scoring plays
Wisconsin (56-31 overall, 14-7 second half) rallied with two outs in the top of the second inning to take the lead. Tayden Hall and Jesús Chirinos both singled with two away to put runners on the corners. Eduarqui Fernández followed with an infield single to drive in Hall for the 1-0 lead.
Cedar Rapids (51-35, 14-8) put their first two runners on base with a hit and a hit batsman in the bottom of the second against emergency starter Stiven Cruz. The Kernels did not take advantage as Cruz got the first out on a force play at second before escaping the jam with an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play. Cruz was forced into action when scheduled starting pitcher Brian Fitzpatrick was scratched due to illness earlier in the day.
Cruz and reliever Tyler Wehrle pitched in and out of trouble several times through the first six innings. The duo maintained the 1-0 lead with help from three double plays by the defense and making some good pitches when they needed them.
The Kernels rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning against Aidan Maldonado, who had just joined the Timber Rattlers from Carolina earlier in the day. A single and a hit batsman started the inning. Maldonado got a strikeout before a walk loaded the bases. Kyle Hess, who had grounded into a double play in the fifth inning, hit a ball deep to right center for a sacrifice fly to score the tying run and move the other runners up a base.
The was key because Maldonado would throw a wild pitch to allow the go-ahead run to score.
The Rattlers had a chance in the top of the eighth inning. Luke Adams was hit by a pitch to start the inning. It was the 24th time Adams has been hit by a pitch this season. An errant throw on a potential double play ball off the bat of Matt Wood wound up in left field to give the Rattlers runners at the corners with no outs. However, the next two batters struck out against Kyle Bischoff. Gabriel Yanez was called into the game and got the final out of the inning. Yanez would work a perfect ninth inning to close out the game and Wisconsin’s six-game winning streak.
Adams has tied the Timber Rattlers franchise record for times being hit by a pitch in a season. He has matched Darrien Miller, who was hit by 24 pitches in 2022.
Wisconsin’s defense turned four double plays while Rattler pitchers hit five Cedar Rapids batters in the game.
All seven of the Timber Rattlers hits were after they had two outs in an inning. The Kernels had the lead-off batter reach base in six of the eight innings in which they batted. However, Wisconsin was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position while the Kernels were 0-for-11 in the same situation.
Game two of the series at Rise 2 Greatness Field is Saturday night. Tate Kuehner (4-2, 3.02) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Darren Bowen (2-4, 6.23) is set to start for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 6:15pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.