Lara Leads the Way to a 6-5 Win
GRAND CHUTE, WI – When Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fans mention The Luis Lara Game, people will remember this night. The Wisconsin centerfielder was 3-for-5 with two big hits late in the game to lead Wisconsin to a 6-5 win over the Beloit Sky Carp Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field.
GRAND CHUTE, WI – When Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fans mention The Luis Lara Game, people will remember this night. The Wisconsin centerfielder was 3-for-5 with two big hits late in the game to lead Wisconsin to a 6-5 win over the Beloit Sky Carp Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field. Lara’s eighth inning homer gave Wisconsin a 4-3 lead, but his heroics were needed again in the bottom of the ninth as his RBI single drove in the winning run for the Rattlers fifth walkoff win of the season.
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with Luis Lara and Victor Estevez
Click here for the scoring plays
Wisconsin (51-30 overall, 9-6 second half) scored in the first. Luis Lara tripled to start the inning. Matt Wood knocked in Lara with a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead. Wisconsin has outscored opponents 67-24 this season.
Joe Ross, Wisconsin’s starting pitcher who was on a rehabilitation assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, retired the first four batters he faced. Then, Beloit scratched out to infield singles that didn’t reach the infield dirt. Cameron Barstad singled to left with the runners on base only moving up one base, but a bobble in left by Jheremy Vargas allowed a run to score to tie the game.
Tayden Hall doubled with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. Eduarqui Fernández put the Rattlers back in front with a home run to the Left Field Lofts. The home run was his seventh of the season.
Ross went back out for the top of the third and retired both batters he faced. He tossed 34 pitches – with 26 strikes – and allowed an unearned run on three hits with no walks and a strikeout before leaving the game.
The Sky Carp (36-42, 6-9) scored a run against Yujanyer Herrera in the fourth inning on a two-out double by Brock Vradenburg and a single by Jake DeLeo. That was the only run allowed by Herrera as he worked four innings, walked two, and struck out six as he turned a 3-2 lead over to the Wisconsin bullpen.
Aaron Rund, who earned a save in Beloit with two scoreless innings on Wednesday night at ABC Supply Stadium, walked the first two batters he faced in the top of the eighth inning. DeLeo tied the game with a one-out single. Rund worked through the rest of the inning stranding three runners to keep the game tied.
Lara made his presence known when he led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a long home run to the Home Run Porch in right field. Lara’s first home run of the season gave Wisconsin a 4-3 lead.
Umm, excuse me, @beloitskycarp... We need that lead back! Thanks for your cooperation. 😏 #HOMERUN
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) July 7, 2024
Bot 8
Sky Carp 3 | T-Rats 4#TRatNation pic.twitter.com/JRFCJ5xZyD
Mark Manfredi entered the game for the top of the ninth trying for his first save. A walk, a strikeout, another walk, and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for the Sky Carp. Tony Bullard drove in both runners with a double off the wall in left-center and Beloit retook the lead at 5-4. Manfredi struck out the next two batters to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
Hall started the rally with a single off Josh Ekness. Vargas, who went 3-for-4 in the game, singled with one out to send Hall to third. Vargas would steal second with Lara at the plate to set up the endgame.
Ekness threw a wild pitch to Lara that let Hall score the tying run and sent Vargas to third with the winning run. Beloit brought their infield and outfield in to try to get Vargas at the plate. Lara spoiled that strategy when he crushed a deep drive to right that hit off the middle of the wall for a walk-off, RBI single to cue the celebration for the home team.
WALK-OFF WIN! 🚨 @Brewers #8 prospect Luis Lara is HIM!
— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) July 7, 2024
July 6th, 2024 - "The Luis Lara game"... 3-for-5, Single, Triple, Home Run, 2 R, 2 RBI, Walk-Off 🔥#TRatNation pic.twitter.com/mIGbLiB8Lt
Jadher Areinamo, who was on deck when Lara delivered the game-winning hit, went 0-for-4 on the night and saw his hitting streak end at eighteen games.
The Timber Rattlers are off until Tuesday when they start a series with the West Michigan Whitecaps at Neuroscience Group Field. Alexander Cornielle (4-3, 3.10) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Whitecaps have named Jaden Hamm (3-2, 2.16) as their starter. Game time on Tuesday is 6:40pm CDT.
Tuesday is Racing Night at the ballpark with displays from local competitors and much more to celebrate motorsports. Plus, there will be a BMX Action Sport Demo performed by Division BMX Stunt Team presented by the Wisconsin DOT in the parking lot prior to the game.
The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a poster from Blue Print Service featuring Luis Lara, Timber Rattlers outfielder and Milwaukee Brewers #7 prospect. This is a Bang for Your Buck Night. All fans may enjoy Cher-Make hotdogs and 16-ounce Pepsi Products for $2. Those of legal drinking age may purchase 16-ounce domestic beers for $2. Bang for Your Buck is presented by NEW Manufacturing Alliance in 2024.
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 tv-32 starting at 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show set to go at 6:20pm. The game is also available on the internet and the Bally Live App.