Rattlers Can’t Dig Out of Late Deficit
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers rallied from a four-run deficit, but couldn’t find their way back from a six-run deficit on Saturday night as they lost 11-9 to the Quad Cities River Bandits at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Michael Massey had four hits and
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers rallied from a four-run deficit, but couldn’t find their way back from a six-run deficit on Saturday night as they lost 11-9 to the Quad Cities River Bandits at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Michael Massey had four hits and three RBI to pace the sixteen-hit attack of the visitors.
Click here for Saturday's Boxscore
Quad Cities (38-19) took the lead in the top of the first inning on back-to-back doubles with one out by Tucker Bradley and Massey.
The River Bandits added to their lead on an odd play in the top of the second inning. They had runners at second and third with two outs. Jeison Guzmán hit a popup to shallow left. LG Castillo charged in from left and looked like he would have a play on the ball. Castillo went into a slide to make the catch, but his right knee dug up a divot of grass and stopped his forward momentum. The ball dropped just out of his reach for a two-run double and Quad Cities was up 3-0.
Wisconsin (27-31) got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second. Joe Gray Jr. and Castillo both singled with one out. Chad McClanahan drove in Gray with a sacrifice fly.
Castillo’s single extended his current hitting streak to fourteen games.
The River Bandits scored two more runs in the top of the third. Massey hit a long home run to the Wisconsin bullpen in right-center to start the inning. Later in the frame, Logan Porter knocked in a run with a single and it was a 5-1 advantage.
The Timber Rattlers fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Chad McClanahan walked and Nick Kahle was hit by a pitch with one out. David Hamilton tripled to right to drive in both runners and knock Quad Cities starting pitcher Charlie Neuweiler out of the game. Grant Davila entered from the Bandits bullpen and got the second out with a strikeout. Then, he walked Korry Howell and Thomas Dillard to load the bases. Gray was next and he lined a double to right to score two runs and tie the game 5-5.
The tie didn’t last long.
The Bandits had two outs with none on base in the top of the sixth inning. Rattler reliever Cristian Sierra walked the next two batters and Massey made him pay with an RBI single. Reliever Nash Walters took over for Sierra and gave up a three-run home run to put Quad Cities up 9-5.
Tucker Bradley made it 11-5 with his two-run double in the top of the seventh inning. That would turn out to be the key hit of the night.
The Timber Rattlers battled back in the bottom of the seventh and got the tying run to the plate.
Hayden Cantrelle started the inning with a home run, his sixth of the season. The next two baters walked and that was the end of the line for Bandits pitcher Garrett Davila. Peyton Gray entered the game and got Joe Gray Jr. to ground into a force play at second for the first out. Je’Von Ward singled home the second run of the inning and a wild pitch brought home the third run to make the score 11-8. Peyton Gray escaped the inning without incurring further damage.
Wisconsin got a run in the ninth as Jonah DiPoto walked Gray and walked to start the inning. McClanahan got Gray home with a fielder’s choice, but that was as close as Wisconsin would get and DiPoto picked up his seventh save of the season.
The final game of the series is Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Freisis Adames (2-1, 6.55) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Christian Cosby (1-1, 5.06) has been named as the starting pitcher for the River Bandits. Game time is 1:05pm.
Sunday is Hispanic Heritage Day at the ballpark with the return of Los Cascabeles de Wisconsin! Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear the Cascabeles hats and jerseys for the first time this season at home for this game. The jerseys will be up for bid in a charity auction later this season. The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a Sugar Skull bobblehead featuring Whiffer from DiGiorno and Monkey Joe’s. Pregame Catch on the Field takes place from noon to 12:30 courtesy of Chick-fil-A.
The radio broadcast of the game is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the pregame show at 12:45pm. Sunday’s game will be televised on CW-14 starting at 1:00pm. The broadcast is also on internet audio and MiLB.tv.