Rattlers Rally for Walkoff Win in Game Two

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers waited until almost the last second to stage a comeback victory in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader with the Peoria Chiefs. Tyler Black’s two-run single with one out in the bottom of the seventh gave the Rattlers a 3-2 walkoff victory and helped the Rattlers avoid a Sunday afternoon twinbill sweep at the hands of the Chiefs. Black had two hits and drove in all three of Wisconsin’s runs in the game.

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Peoria (1-2) scored first for the third game in a row when they got a run in the top of the fourth inning. Masyn Winn singled to center to start the inning. Then, Jason Buchberger reached on an infield single and Winn wound up on third base on the throw to first base. Thomas Francisco grounded into a force play at second to score Winn for a 1-0 lead.

Wisconsin (2-1) responded in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back doubles. Sal Frelick doubled to right-center to start the inning. Black was next and he doubled down the line in right to score Frelick with the tying run.

TJ Shook was the starting pitcher for the Rattlers and he allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts over five inning for a no decision.

The game stayed tied until the top of the seventh inning. Aaron Antonini lined a lead-off homer over the wall in left for a home run and Peoria had a 2-1 advantage. That put Peoria, which won 1-0 in the first game on Sunday, on the verge of a sweep.

The Timber Rattlers, who rallied from 5-0 down for a 7-6 walkoff win in ten innings on Saturday, had other ideas.

Wisconsin used a pair of walks to set the stage for their comeback and their second walkoff of the series. Yeison Coca and Frelick drew one out walks against Chiefs pitcher Wilfredo Pereira and brought Black to the plate with the winning runs on base.

A wild pitch by Pereira moved both Coca and Frelick into scoring position and the Chiefs brought their infield in on the grass. Black smacked the very next pitch up the middle to score Coca with the tying run and Frelick easily beat the throw to the plate to score the winning run.

Wisconsin won two of three games in the series with the Chiefs. The Rattlers didn’t lead in either victory until their final swing of the game.

Frelick went 3-for-6 with two doubles in Sunday’s twinbill.

The Timber Rattlers are off on Monday before they return to action on Tuesday when they open a series with the Beloit Sky Carp at ABC Supply Stadium. Antoine Kelly is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The Sky Carp will counter with MD Johnson. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm.