Chourio Sparks Rattlers Comeback with Another Home Run

PEORIA, IL – Jackson Chourio jump-started the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers offense with a home run in his third straight game to jolt the Rattlers to a 7-4 win over the Peoria Chiefs on Wednesday night at Dozer Park.

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The Chiefs (51-71 overall, 23-33 second half) got on the scoreboard with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Noah Mendlinger reached on a three-base error to start the inning. LJ Jones drove in Mendlinger with a sacrifice fly.

Peoria added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mendlinger dropped in a bloop single with two outs to knock in a runner from second base to double the Chiefs lead.

Dionys Rodríguez pitched five no-hit innings for the Chiefs. He walked two and struck out seven before turning over the game to the bullpen.

Nick Trogrlic-Iverson retired the first two batters he faced in the top of the sixth. Then, Chourio, the #1 prospect of the Milwaukee Brewers, made his presence known.

Chourio launched the first pitch of his at bat to right-center for a mammoth, solo home run. He has seven homers with Wisconsin and nineteen homers on the season between the Carolina Mudcats and the Timber Rattlers.

Wisconsin (63-58, 27-29) tied the game in the top of the seventh. Zack Raabe tripled to open the inning. Reidy Mercado singled with one out to drive in Raabe.

The Rattlers took the lead in the eighth. Ben Metzinger reached on an error and Joe Gray Jr walked. Eduardo García followed with a single to drive in Metzinger and send Gray around to third. Tayden Hall got Gray home with a fielder’s choice. Hall would score later in the inning on a wild pitch for a 5-2 lead.

Justin King took over in the bottom of the eighth inning and retired the first two batters he faced, but a walk and a double put runners in scoring position. Francisco Hernandez tightened the game with a single to left to score both runners. Plus, Hernandez advanced to second on the throw to the plate to get the tying run into scoring position.

Joey Matulovich relieved King and got the final out of the inning on a flyout to preserve the one-run lead.

Metzinger and Gray reached on a walk and an error to put runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the ninth. Then, García, who snapped an 0-for-14 streak with his first single on Wednesday, gave Wisconsin some insurance with a two-run single and the Rattlers were up 7-4.

James Meeker pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to nail down his fourteenth save of the season. Meeker has a save in each of Wisconsin’s wins during their current three-game winning streak.

Game three of the series is Thursday night at Dozer Park. Israel Puello (1-3, 5.40) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria has named Inohan Paniagua (2-2, 4.26) as their starter. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starting at 6:15pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv for subscribers.