Cubs Grab Early Lead and Don’t Let Go

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The South Bend Cubs scored two runs in the first and four runs in the third on Tuesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. It was enough for them to defeat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 8-4. Jonathan Long led South Bend with three hits, two walks, three runs scored, and three RBI.

Click here for the boxscore

Click here for the scoring plays

The Cubs (30-40 overall, 3-1 second half) scored twice with two outs in the top of the first inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Mark Manfredi retired the first two Cubs he faced. Then, Long singled and Brian Kalmer walked to extend the inning. Patrick Chavers drove both runners in with a triple to right-center for a 2-0 led.

South Bend extended their lead with four runs in the third inning. The first two batters reached base. Long hit a three-run home run for a 5-0 lead.

Later in the inning, Kalmer, who had been hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch, was driven across the plate on a single by Ed Howard.

Tayden Hall got the Rattlers (43-27, 1-3) on the scoreboard in the fourth and sixth innings. Hall’s RBI single in the fourth knocked in Eduardo Garcia. In the sixth, Luke Adams scored from second when Hall’s infield single was misplayed by Pedro Ramirez.

Rattlers get on the board with an RBI single from Tayden Hall.

End 5th
South Bend 6 | Rattlers 1#tratnation pic.twitter.com/8B34kXdhBv

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 26, 2024

The teams traded two-run home runs in the ninth inning. Long reached base for the fifth time in the game when he walked to start the top of the ninth inning against Stiven Cruz. Chavers cracked a long home run to right for his second home run of the season. In the bottom of the ninth, Jadher Areinamo, who is on a nine-game hitting streak for the Rattlers, doubled. Felix Valerio hit a pitch from Jose Romero to the Left Field Lofts for a homer, the first for Valerio since he joined the Rattlers last week.

Felix Valerio notches the T-Rats' 40th HR of the season in his first game back at Neuroscience Group Field! #tratnation pic.twitter.com/gCad1EL6P5

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) June 26, 2024

Wisconsin had ten hits in the game but were only 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Hall went 3-for-3 with a walk to reach base in all four of his plate appearances on Tuesday. Areinamo, who is 14-for-36 during his hitting streak, was 2-for-4 in the game to earn his 21st multi-hit game of the season.

Game two of the series is Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Tate Kuehner (3-1, 3.20) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Erian Rodriguez (0-1, 5.40) is set to start for the Cubs. Game time is 12:10pm.

The Timber Rattlers will celebrate baseball’s Hispanic Heritage with their second Los Cascabeles de Wisconsin game of the season. Players and coaches will wear their Cascabeles uniforms for this game.

There are two other specials on Wednesday with no peanuts or peanut-based products will be allowed in the stadium as part of Peanut-Free Day. Also, the Silver Foxes Special is presented by Network Health and 103.9 WVBO. Fans ages 55 and older may purchase a box seat ticket, a Timber Rattlers baseball cap, a beverage, and a brat or hot dog for $25 for the special. This offer is available online this season by using this link and using coupon code “FOX”. Fans may order 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, there are several ways to follow the Timber Rattlers action. The game is available on CW-14 starting at 12:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show set to go at 11:50am. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.