Peoria Stops Wisconsin's Win Streak with a Shutout

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored 27 runs in a three-game sweep of the Clinton LumberKings and were heading into Friday's game at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium against a Peoria Chiefs team that was 15^th in the Midwest League in ERA at 4.66. Three Peoria pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout to beat the Rattlers 3-0.
Three singles and an error in the top of the first inning gave the Chiefs (23-30) a 2-0 lead. Delvin Perez and Nolan Gorman each singled with one out. Ivan Herrera followed with a single to right that got by Jesús Lujano to allow both runners on base to score.

Those were the only runs allowed by Wisconsin starting pitcher Logan Gillaspie. The right-hander struck out seven over six innings and kept Wisconsin close.

However, Peoria starter Kyle Leahy tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed just three hits. He retired 18 of the last 19 batters he faced in the game before turning the game over to the bullpen.

The Chiefs added a run in the top of the eighth inning with two outs. Brady Whalen singled to keep the inning alive. Leandro Cedeno hit a fly to right that Lujano made a dive for the ball, but he missed it and the ball rolled behind him to allow Whalen to score and Cedeno wound up on third base with an RBI triple.

Wisconsin (25-28) put two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the eighth as LG Castillo reached on an infield single and Korry Howell walked. But, reliever Thomas St. Clair retired the next two batters to maintain the 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Lujano singled - his second hit of the night - and Manny Piña drew a walk against St. Clair to bring the tying run to the plate. The Chiefs went to the bullpen and Evan Sisk took over to retire the next three batters to close out the game.

Friday night was the final game of Piña's four-game rehabilitation assignment for the Rattlers. He caught all nine innings on Friday. Piña went 3-for-13 with two RBI and a walk in his four games with Wisconsin.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Aaron Ashby (3-2, 3.64) is set to start for the Rattlers. Peoria has named Alvaro Seijas (3-4, 3.42) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 7:05pm.
The Rattlers are hosting their first-ever Pride Night at the ballpark in conjunction with the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Lakeland University on Saturday Night. 

There will be a postgame fireworks display presented by Tundraland. After the fireworks, those 14 and under may run the bases courtesy of Meijer as part of a North Shore Bank Family Day with WIXX.

If you can't make it out to the game, there are several ways to follow the action. Saturday's game will be televised on CW-14 in Northeastern Wisconsin and on My-24 in Southeastern Wisconsin starting at 7:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 6:45pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.