Rattlers Pitchers Record Nineteen Strikeouts in 6-1 Win at Peoria
PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers defeated the Peoria Chiefs 6-1 on Tuesday night at Dozer Park. Three Wisconsin pitchers – Victor Castañeda, Arman Sabouri, and Evan Reifert – combined to for strike out nineteen Peoria batters in the victory.
PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers defeated the Peoria Chiefs 6-1 on Tuesday night at Dozer Park. Three Wisconsin pitchers – Victor Castañeda, Arman Sabouri, and Evan Reifert – combined to for strike out nineteen Peoria batters in the victory.
The Timber Rattlers (29-31) took the lead in the top of the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by Korry Howell and Hayden Cantrelle. Howell just missed a home run to left to start the inning and he wound up at second with a double. Cantrelle was next and he lined a double to the wall in left-center for a 1-0 lead.
The Chiefs (22-39) answered in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Chandler Redmond. That would be their only run.
Wisconsin went back in front in the top of the fifth. Je’Von Ward walked, LG Castillo singled, and Chad McClanahan reached on catcher’s interference. Nick Kahle singled to drive in Ward and Castillo and the Rattlers were up 3-1.
Castañeda go the first out in the bottom of the fifth with his ninth strikeout of the game to set a new single-game high as a professional. He gave up a single to the next hitter, but got out of the inning when he got Brady Whalen to hit a grounder into the shift and the defense turned a 4-5-3 double play with third baseman McClanahan taking the throw at second and turning the twin killing.
McClanahan had a hand in padding Wisconsin’s lead in the top of the sixth. Peoria reliever Leonardo Taveras walked the first three batters of the inning. McClanahan drew the fourth walk of the inning to score the first run of the inning. Yeison Coca’s infield single added the second run of the frame and the Rattlers were up 5-1.
Sabouri pitched 1-2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts as the first reliever out of the Wisconsin bullpen. He worked through a hit batsman and a double with three strikeouts in the sixth, In the seventh, Sabouri struck out the first batter he faced before hitting a batter, giving up a double, and striking out the final batter he faced for his fifth strikeout.
Reifert was next out of the pen and he got the final out of the seventh on a grounder to third. In the eighth, the first two Chiefs reached base on a walk and a single. Then, Reifert struck out the next three batters to keep the score at 5-1.
The Rattlers added a run in the ninth on an RBI fielder’s choice by Ward to score Cantrelle from third.
Reifert went back out for the ninth inning and walked the lead-off batter before striking out the next two batters. That gave him five strikeouts and the trio of Wisconsin pitchers nineteen strikeouts in the game. Reifert got the final out on a foul pop to Kahle so the Rattlers pitchers didn’t get to twenty strikeouts, but Reifert picked up his first save as a Timber Rattler.
The loss was the seventh in a row for the Chiefs.
Game two of the series is Tuesday night at Dozer Park. Reese Olson (3-4, 4.86) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria plans to send Michael YaSenka (0-5, 5.70) to the mound. Game time is 6:35pm. The broadcast will be on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starting at 6:15pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv.