Rattlers Beat the Rain and the Cubs to Complete the Sweep

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers defeated the South Bend Cubs 2-1 in a rain-shortened game on Friday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Korry Howell drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to plate what turned out to be the winning run for the Rattlers.

The Cubs (49-46 overall, 12-15 second half) took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jonathan Sierra drove in Rafelin Lorenzo from second base with a double to the gap. Luke Reynolds tried to score from first on the play, but a perfect relay throw from shortstop Yeison Coca nailed Reynolds at the plate.

Coca tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Brent Díaz drew a walk to start the frame. Leugim Castillo followed with a single to left. Chad McClanahan got Díaz to third base with a deep fly. That brought Coca to the plate with runners at the corners and one out. Coca bunted up the first base line and was tagged out, but the safety squeeze was enough to score Díaz with the tying run.

Wisconsin (47-49, 16-11) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with three walks and one hit. Castillo started the rally with a walk. Chad McClanahan lined a single to left and Coca moved both runners into scoring position with his second sacrifice bunt of the game. Connor McVey was next and he drew a walk to lead the bases.

That brought Howell to the plate. Howell, who had run his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the bottom of the fifth inning, drew the third walk of the inning and that forced in Castillo with the go-ahead run.

In the top of the eighth, Rafael Narea singled with one out. Marcus Mastrobuoni was at the plate when the wind kicked up and blew down a sign on the outfield wall sign in left-center field. The storm was bearing down on the stadium and the call was made to get the tarp on the field. 

It was a struggle, but with help from several Timber Rattlers players, the grounds crew was able to get the cover on the infield before the rain started to fall. When the rain started to fall, it fell hard and it didn't stop. The game was called a little before 11:30pm.

The win gave the Rattlers a three-game sweep of the Cubs.
The Timber Rattlers start a three-game series with the West Michigan Whitecaps on Saturday night. Scotty Sunitsch (6-10, 4.88) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Gino Arriera (3-6, 7.47) is set to start for the Whitecaps. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
We should actually say that Sunitsch will be starting for Los Cascabeles de Wisconsin and Arriera will start for Calaveras de West Michigan on Saturday as part of the second Los Cascabeles Night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Players and coaches on both teams will wear alternate jerseys as part of the Copa de la Diversión. 

Special Memories Petting Zoo is back with another display outside the stadium for the kids. As part of a North Shore Bank Family Night with WIXX, the first 500 fans to enter the stadium will receive a maraca from DiGiorno. Everyone can enjoy postgame fireworks presented by Tundraland. Children 14 and under may run the bases after the fireworks courtesy of Meijer.
If you can't make it to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. 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 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 6:15pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.