Rattlers Edge Beloit 4-3

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Taylor Floyd provided stellar relief and Korry Howell cracked a tie-breaking home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to a 4-3 victory over the Beloit Snappers Saturday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

Wisconsin (4-1) had an opportunity to take an early lead in the bottom of the second as they loaded the bases with one out against Beloit starting pitcher Alberto Guerrero. However, Guerrero escaped the inning with no damage as he struck out the last two batters of the inning to keep the game scoreless.

Beloit (1-4) took the lead in the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by Connor Scott and Ricky Aracena off Wisconsin starter Zach Mort.

Thomas Dillard quickly tied the game for Wisconsin when he hit a lead-off home run to the Beloit bullpen in the bottom of the fourth. The Rattlers took the lead later in the inning on an RBI grounder by Kekai Rios and a wild pitch that let Yeison Coca score from third.

Mort didn’t give up another run and left after five innings with five strikeouts and a 3-1 lead. The Wisconsin defense turned a pair of double plays in key spots behind Mort, too.

Devin Hairston cut into the Wisconsin lead in the top of the sixth. The former Timber Rattler and former Milwaukee Brewers farmhand hit a lead-off homer against reliever Cristían Sierra. Griffin Conine tied the game later in the inning with an RBI single. The Snappers loaded the bases with two outs and Floyd relieved Sierra to get the final out.

Howell put the Rattlers back in front in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo homer. Howell hit two homers in 91 games as a Timber Rattlers in 2019. He has homered in consecutive games in this series.

Floyd pitched the remainder of the game and the only hit he allowed was a two-out double to Conine in the eighth inning. Floyd got the final out of the eight on a grounder before pitching a 1-2-3 ninth and closing out the game with his fourth strikeout.

The final game of the six game series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Victor Castañeda (1-0, 1.80) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Beloit has named Jake Walters (0-0, 6.75) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 1:05pm.

The first 1,000 fans to attend Sunday’s game will receive a bobblehead of Timber Rattlers mascot Fang T. Rattler dressed as a Frontline Medical Worker courtesy of Pick-n-Save. Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their 2021 Brewers-themed jerseys for this game as part of Brewers Sunday with 107.5 The Fan.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, catch the action on AM 1280 WNAM starting with the pregame show at 12:45pm. The game is also available on internet audio and through MiLB.tv.