Wisconsin Rallies Late for Second Win in a Row

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were able to dig their way out of an early hole to record a 5-4 win over the South Bend Cubs on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Wisconsin received a clutch hit from Leugim Castillo to tie the game in the sixth and another big hit from Brent Díaz to take the lead in the seventh on the way to their second straight win.

The Cubs (49-45 overall, 12-14 second half) grabbed the lead early with three runs in the second inning. Yonathan Perlaza started the inning with a double. Cole Roederer followed by lining a two-run home run to right field and the Cubs were up 2-0. Later in the inning Marcus Mastrobuoni doubled. He scored on a single by Rafael Narea for the 3-0 advantage.

Wisconsin (46-49, 15-11) scored in the bottom of the third inning as David Fry's sacrifice fly scored Yeison Coca from third base.

Díaz drew a walk to start the bottom of the fourth. He took off for second base early and the throw to first on a pickoff attempt by South Bend starter Brailyn Marquez was wild. Díaz cruised around to third base on the play. Kekai Rios drove in Díaz with a grounder to cut the deficit to one run.

In the fifth, Wisconsin got singles by Coca and Conner McVey to start the inning and a wild pitch with one out move both the tying and lead run into scoring position. But, both runners were left stranded when the inning ended.

Logan Gillaspie, the Rattlers starting pitcher, settled in after the second inning and kept the Cubs off the scoreboard through the fifth inning. Gillaspie got the first two outs in the sixth inning, but gave up a solo homer to Roederer before he could get the third out and the Rattlers were down 4-2.

Díaz started the rally to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth when he reached on an error. Je'Von Ward reached on a walk. Castillo knocked in both runners with a one-out double and the game was even 4-4.

Then, Díaz broke the tie in the bottom of the seventh. Fry doubled with one out to get into scoring position. Díaz delivered a two-out single to score Fry and the Rattlers were up 5-4.

Chad Whitmer, who entered the game from the Wisconsin bullpen in the seventh inning, tossed a perfect eighth inning to protect the lead. Victor Castaneda closed out the game with a perfect ninth for his third save of the season.
The Timber Rattlers and Cubs will play the final game of the series on Friday night. Freisis Adames (2-1, 3.55) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. South Bend will send Faustino Carrera (5-4, 3.28) to the mound to start the contest. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man will be appearing at our second Superhero Night of the season at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. You'll be able to meet this Amazing Avenger for pictures before and during the game. You can learn a super power with the life-saving procedure of CPR as part of CPR Night presented by American Heart Association, too.

The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a poster of recently-promoted Brice Turang courtesy of EatStreet. 

Special Memories Petting Zoo will have a display outside the stadium before the game. Fans of legal drinking age may have Arty's Old Fashioned Drinks for $3 as part of an Arty's Old Fashioned Friday with 101.1 WIXX. Stick around after the game to see a fireworks display courtesy of FOX 11. Kids aged 14 and under may run the bases after the fireworks courtesy of Menasha Corporation.
If you can't make it to the ballpark, there are several ways to catch the action. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 6:45pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.