CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers found their power stroke on Friday night in a 10-5 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field. Wisconsin hit five home runs in the game to salvage the final game of the three-game series.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers found their power stroke on Friday night in a 10-5 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field. Wisconsin hit five home runs in the game to salvage the final game of the three-game series.
The Timber Rattlers (50-52 overall, 19-14 second half) took charge of the game in the first inning as they scored three times on four hits, but they nearly wasted their chance.
Connor McVey started the game with a double off the wall in left field, but he was still at second with two outs. Thomas Dillard cashed in McVey with a single to left. Brent Díaz kept the inning going with a single to left-center. Chad McClanahan was next and he lined a double to left to score both runners for a 3-0 lead.
Wisconsin used the long ball to add to their lead in the third inning. David Fry lifted a solo home run to left with one out and McClanahan cracked a two-run homer to eight with two outs and the Rattlers were up 6-0.
The homers snapped a couple of droughts for the Rattlers. Fry's homer, his thirteenth of the season, was the first by a Wisconsin hitter since July 17. McClanahan's homer, his second of the season, was his first since April 30.
McClanahan would have four RBI in the game.
The Kernels 58-45, 19-14) got to Wisconsin starting pitcher Scott Sunitsch in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Albee Weiss, but that was all they could manage against the lefty. Sunitsch allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out six as he tossed just 68 pitches in six innings before turning the game and the 6-1 lead over to the bullpen for the seventh.
Wisconsin's offense poured on the power in the top of the eighth inning. Yeison Coca cracked a long home run just to the right of the 390' marker on the wall in right-center with one out. Later in the frame, Fry stepped to the plate with McVey at third and two outs and he lifted a fly to left that cleared the wall for his second homer of the night. Dillard was next and he lined an opposite-field home run to left and Wisconsin was up 10-1.
Fry became the second Rattler to hit two homers in a game this season. Coca had hit two in a game back on May 13. Dillard's home run was his first since joining the Timber Rattlers on July 8.
This was the first five-homer game for the Timber Rattlers since July 8, 2007.
Peter Strzelecki and Tyler Gillies each worked a perfect inning with two strikeouts from the Wisconsin bullpen.
Victor Castaneda entered the game to finish off the Kernels, but it took a lot more effort than anyone expected. The first two batters reached on a walk and a double. Gabe Snyder got both runners home with a double. Wander Javier tripled to drive in Snyder. A walk to Alex Isola put runners at the corners with no outs and the Wisconsin lead was down to 10-4.
Castaneda retired the next two batters, but a two-out single by Ricky De La Torre scored Javier. Daniel Ozoria, the ninth Kernel to bat in the inning sent a liner to right-center, but Korry Howell ran it down and caught the ball for the final out of the game.
The Timber Rattlers continue their road trip with game one of a three-game series against the Kane County Cougars on Saturday night. Adam Hill (6-7, 4.09) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Matt Tabor (5-2, 2.67) is set to start for the Cougars. Game time at Northwestern Medicine Field is 6:30pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 6:10pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.
