Wisconsin Starts Fort Wayne Series with Shutout Win

GRAND CHUTE, WI – TJ Shook and Max Lazar combined on a six-hit shutout on Tuesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers opened their series with the Fort Wayne TinCaps with a 9-0 win. Zavier Warren, Carlos Rodríguez, and Micah Bello each had two RBI in the game for Wisconsin.

Click here for the boxscore of this game

Tristan Peters was the lead-off batter for the Timber Rattlers (13-9) in this game. Sal Frelick, who had been promoted to Biloxi earlier in the day, had been Wisconsin’s only lead-off batter over the first 21 games of the season. Peters took over the role on this night and drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to start the bottom of first.

Warren continued his hot hitting with a double to left to score Peters with the first run of the game. Warren is on a five-game hitting streak and he has as double in all five games.

Later in the inning, Wes Clarke doubled to drive in Warren and the Rattlers were up 2-0.

Fort Wayne starting pitcher Ryan Bergert retired the first two Wisconsin batters he faced in the bottom of the fifth. He would not get another out in the game.

Peters started the rally with a double. Warren was next and he singled to drive in Peters. Joe Gray Jr drew a walk on a full count to keep the inning alive. Then, Darrien Miller dropped a broken bat single to right to score Warren, get Gray to third base, and chase Bergert from the game.

The TinCaps called Brandon Komar out of their bullpen to put down the rally. Instead, he walked Wes Clarke to load the bases. Rodríguez drove the next pitch up the middle for a two-run single. Bello, who joined the Timber Rattlers from the Carolina Mudcats earlier today, lined the pitch after that down the line in right for a two-run double and an 8-0 lead.

Antonio Piñero put a cap on the scoring for Wisconsin with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the seventh and the Rattlers were up 9-0.

TJ Shook was the starting pitcher for Wisconsin. He pitched six scoreless innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. Shook has 34 strikeouts in 25-2/3 innings pitched this season.

Max Lazar closed out the game for the Timber Rattlers with three scoreless innings for his first save of the season.

Game two of the series is Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Brandon Knarr (2-1, 1.61) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The TinCaps have named Jackson Wolf (1-1, 4.40) as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm.

If you can’t make it out to the stadium, there are several ways to follow the action. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and on internet audio starting with the pregame show at 6:20pm. The game is also available on MiLB.tv.