Chiefs Put Out Rattlers Fire Late

GRAND CHUTE, WI – A pitchers’ duel turned into a slugfest late as the Peoria Chiefs got the better of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Chiefs blew open a 3-1 game with six runs in the top of the eighth inning, withstood a desperate Rattlers rally, and put the game away with a bases-loaded homer in the top of the ninth for a 13-6 victory.

Click here for Wednesday's Boxscore

Peoria (18-26) struck with two outs in the top of the third inning. Jhon Torres drew a walk to extend the inning. Then, Malcom Nunez lined a two-run home run over the wall in left on a 3-1 pitch for a 2-0 lead.

Garrett Mitchell pulled the Rattlers (19-24) to within a run when he hit a two-out, solo home run to left field in the bottom of the second. The homer was his second of the season.

The Chiefs got their two-run advantage back in the top of the fifth inning. Brady Whalen’s two-out double scored Torres from third base for the 3-1 lead.

Connor Lunn made that lead stand for Peoria. David Hamilton reached on a bunt single to start the bottom of the fifth. Lunn retired the next nine batters he faced. In the game, Lunn went seven innings, allowed one run, walked one, and struck out eight.

Peoria added to their lead in the eighth inning as they sent ten men to the plate and scored six runs on five hits. Chandler Redmond drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. Then, the next five batters reached base. Zade Richardson and Moises Castillo each drove in a run with a single. A wild pitch let in a run. Then, an error allowed the final two runs to score and the Chiefs were up 9-1.

Wisconsin made it very interesting in the bottom of the eighth as they sent eleven men to the plated, scored five runs on five hits, and loaded the bases to bring the lead run to the plate. Korry Howell walked to start the inning. Mitchell just missed his second homer of the game with a fly ball off the top of the wall in left and Howell scored while Mitchell took third on the throw to the plate. Thomas Dillard knocked in Mitchell with a single and Je’Von Ward followed with a double. After a strikeout for the first out, Chad McClanahan’s sacrifice fly got Dillard home, but it was also the second out. Kekai Rios was next and he crushed a two-run homer to get the Rattlers to within 9-6 and chase reliever Leonardo Taveras.

Paul Schwendel took over for Taveras and gave up a single to Yeison Coca before walking David Hamilton and Howell to load the bases and bring Mitchell to the plate as the potential go-ahead run. Schwendel ended the rally with a strikeout, but thee Rattlers were within three. That margin didn’t last long.

In the top of the ninth, Redmond doubled with one out. Richardson was hit by a pitch with two outs and Tyler Reichenborn reached on an infield single to load the bases. Castillo put the game away in the top of the ninth inning with a grand slam. That was the fifth grand slam allowed by Wisconsin pitchers this season.

Castillo had five RBI in the game on Wednesday. He has 22 RBI this season and has thirteen of those RBI in his thirteen games against Wisconsin.

Game three of the series is Thursday night. Justin Jarvis (0-5, 7.02) is set to start for Wisconsin. The Chiefs have named Logan Gragg (0-3, 6.65) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 7:05pm.

The first 500 fans to attend Thursday’s game will receive a magnet featuring Korry Howell, Timber Rattlers outfielder and MiLB’s High-A Central League Player of the month for May. This is magnet #1 in a series of four that will be given away this season from Lamers Bus Lines and the Timber Rattlers.

All fans to attend this game may enjoy Cher-Make bratwurst for $2. Fans of legal drinking age may purchase 12-ounce craft brews that are available in the Brews on Third area and other concessions stands throughout the ballpark for only $2. It’s all part of a Craft Brews & Brats Night from Fox River Brewing Company and 105.7 WAPL.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, catch all of the action on AM 1280 WNAM starting with the pregame show at 6:45pm. The game will be available on internet audio and through MiLB.tv, too.