GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a pair of leads against the Kane County Cougars on Sunday afternoon at Northwestern Medicine Field. However, the Cougars continued their mastery of the Rattlers by scoring 4-3 win on a decisive, eighth-inning home run.In the first two games of the series,
GENEVA, IL - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a pair of leads against the Kane County Cougars on Sunday afternoon at Northwestern Medicine Field. However, the Cougars continued their mastery of the Rattlers by scoring 4-3 win on a decisive, eighth-inning home run.
In the first two games of the series, the Timber Rattlers (31-38) took a 2-0 lead over the Cougars. That trend continued on Sunday. Kenny Corey reached on an error to start the game. Pat McInerney followed with a home run to left. McInerney's tenth home run of the season gave the Rattlers a two-run advantage two batters into the game.
Ernie De La Trinidad got the Cougars (35-34) on the board in the second inning after he should have been retired. De La Trinidad started the inning by sending a foul pop to third base. But, Gabriel García lost the ball in the sun and the ball dropped for a strike. De La Trinidad cracked his fifth home run of the season a few pitches later.
Tristen Lutz gave Wisconsin a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning when he lined a homer - his sixth of the season - with two outs in the third. The home run was the sixth of the season for Lutz.
But, Kane County tied the game in the bottom of the third when Kane County All-Star Jasrado Chisholm hit a two-run home run.
The Cougars probably should have taken the lead later in the third. De La Trinidad was at second and Ryan Grotjohn was at first with one out when Yan Sanchez hit a towering flyball to left-center that hit off the base of the wall. However, De La Trinidad did not get a good jump off second and only made third base. Grotjohn was at second with Sanchez right behind him. Sanchez tried to backtrack to first base and was thrown out. The Cougars stranded both runners and the game remained tied.
The heat index was over 100 degrees for most of the day and Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson reached his boiling point in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cody Beckman tossed to first on routine pickoff attempt with Grotjohn on base. Base umpire Gabe Alfonso called Beckman for a balk and Erickson came out to argue. The Wisconsin manager became more animated as he argued the call before being tossed for the third time this season.
Wisconsin's best chance to retake the lead came in the seventh inning. Brent Diaz drew a walk and Kenny Corey followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. McInerney was next and his hot shot to third was picked clean and the runners had to hold. Lutz followed with a popup to shallow center and second baseman made the catch after backpedaling to get under the ball. Diaz tagged at third and tried to score on the play, but was out at the plate by plenty. Wisconsin would go 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the game.
Tim Susnara, who had homered for the Cougars on Friday night, stepped to the plate with two outs and none on in the bottom of the eighth inning to face Wisconsin reliever Rodrigo Benoit. Susnara hit a tape-measure shot to right for the go-ahead home run.
Corey singled with one out in the top of the ninth, but was left stranded as Carlos Bustamante struck out the next two hitters to close out Kane County's eleventh win in thirteen games against Wisconsin this season.
Last Sunday, the Timber Rattlers beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-1 for their sixth straight victory to get to within a game of the .500 mark. This Sunday was the sixth straight loss for the Rattlers. They are 4-for-43 with runners in scoring position during this losing streak.
The Timber Rattlers will be off for the Midwest League All-Star Break until Thursday when they return to action against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field in Iowa. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 6:15pm. The broadcast is also available on the Tune In and IHeart Radio apps. Subscribers to MiLB.tv can watch the game over the internet.
