Rattlers Can't Solve Seijas

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers made very costly mistakes against the Peoria Chiefs on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities and they dropped a 6-2 decision as starting pitcher Alvaro Seijas continued to befuddle Wisconsin hitters.
The pitchers were in control through the first five innings. Seijas retired the first fourteen batters he faced in the game. Brent Díaz doubled with two outs to break up the no-hit bid. Wisconsin starter Aaron Ashby gave up a pair of infield singles and three walks, but kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard with five strikeouts and two double plays.

Ashby started the top of the sixth inning with his sixth and seventh strikeouts of the game, but he allowed a double to Juan Herrera. Brady Whalen was next and he blooped a single into right-center to score Herrera with the first run of the game.

Peoria (24-30) added to their lead with help from the Rattlers in the top of the seventh. Reliever Peter Strzelecki hit Malcom Nunez on a 2-2 pitch to start the inning. Josh Shaw hit a sinking line drive to center and Jesús Lujano tried to make a shoestring catch, but the ball dropped in for a hit and skipped past Lujano. By the time the ball was retrieved, Nunez had scored and Shaw was standing on third base.

Later in the inning, Jhon Torres drove in Shaw with a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.

Seijas left the game with one out and runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth inning after throwing his 98^th pitch of the night. The Rattlers (25-29) rallied on a walk to Díaz and a single by Je'Von Ward. Then, LG Castillo cracked a deep fly to left-center, but the ball died short of the wall and was caught for the first out of the inning. Both runners moved up on the play and that was where Seijas made his exit.

Sebastian Tabata took over for the Chiefs. Antonio Piñero sent a fly ball to shallow right and Díaz tried to score on the play, but was cut down at the plate by Wadye Ynfante for the final out.

Wisconsin's defensive issues cost them some more runs in the top of the ninth. Reliever Chad Whitmer gave up a single and hit a batter to start the inning, but he retired the next two batters. Then, Ynfante singled to drive in the first run. Díaz cut the ball off in the grass in front of the plate and had a shot to get the runner going to third, but his throw was wild and rolled down the line where no Rattler fielder was playing. Two more runs scored and the Rattlers were down 6-0.

The first two Rattlers hitters in the bottom of the ninth inning were retired by Tabata, but somehow, some way, the Rattlers managed to bring the tying run to the plate.

The attempted comeback started with a single by Lujano, a walk to Yeison Coca, and a hit batsman on Chad McClanahan. Tabata walked Díaz to force in Wisconsin's first run of the series. Then, Ward singled to right to score the run to make it 6-2.

Edgar Escobar was called in from the Peoria bullpen to face Castillo, the tying run. Castillo hit the ball sharply, but he hit it right at shortstop Delvin Perez, who fielded the ball cleanly and raced to second to force Ward for the final out.

Seijas evened his record at 4-4 on the season with his 7-1/3 scoreless innings on Saturday night. Seijas is 3-0 in three starts against Wisconsin this season.
Sunday is the final game of the series. Freisis Adames (0-0, 1.35) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Diego Cordero (2-4, 2.82) has been named the starter for the Chiefs. Game time is 1:05pm.

The left field berm has been set aside as a seating area for fans and their dogs on Sunday for the third of five Bark in the Park games presented by Fox Valley Animal Referral Center. Please see the release at this link for details on the event and the guidelines to allow your dog to attend the game. Admission for the dogs is free AND each good dog will receive a Timber Rattlers bandana. Characters from Paw Patrol are planning to be at this game to meet their fans, too. 

Get to the park early to play catch in the outfield courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at noon. Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their 2019 Brewers-themed jerseys for this game as part of a Star 98.5 Brewers Sunday. Plus, players will be available for a postgame autograph session sponsored by Tundraland.
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 1:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 12:45pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.