Rattlers Homestand Ends with a Shutout Loss to Cedar Rapids
GRAND CHUTE, WI - Friday night's game started off on the wrong foot for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and they could not get back into step as they were beaten by the Cedar Rapids Kernels 4-0 in the final game of a six-game homestand at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox
GRAND CHUTE, WI - Friday night's game started off on the wrong foot for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and they could not get back into step as they were beaten by the Cedar Rapids Kernels 4-0 in the final game of a six-game homestand at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
The Kernels (70-53 overall, 31-22 second half) took advantage of some sloppy fielding by the Rattlers to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning against
Small, the #1 pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2019 draft, settled in after that tough first inning. He worked four innings on the evening and struck out eight without walking a batter. Only one of the three runs he allowed was earned. But, the three-run first inning set him up for the loss.
Wisconsin (59-63, 28-25) had issues against Kernels starting pitcher
Cedar Rapids, a team already in the playoffs as the first half Western Division Wild Card, added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning against reliever
Wisconsin put two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning against Kernels reliever JR Perez. Fry doubled off the base of the wall in right with one out. The double was the 41st of the season for Fry. Brent Díaz drew a two-out walk, but Perez got a strikeout to end the threat.
In the second half Western Division Playoff race, the Rattlers received some good news and some bad news. The first place Kane County Cougars rallied to defeat the Peoria Chiefs 4-3 at home. The wild-card leading Clinton LumberKings lost 4-3 to the Burlington Bees at home. Those results mean that the Timber Rattlers remain three games behind Clinton in the Wild Card race, but they fall to seven games behind Kane County in the division race. There are seventeen games left in the season.
The Timber Rattlers begin a four-game road trip to Peoria, Illinois on Saturday night.