Wisconsin Shuts Out Clinton to Win Third Straight

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continued their hot start to the second half of the Midwest League season as they defeated the Clinton LumberKings 4-0. Scott Sunitsch bounced back from a rough start his last time out to toss six scoreless innings and record a professional single-game high eleven strikeouts.

Sunitsch did not make it out of the first inning in his final start before the All-Star Break, but he came back ready to go on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. However, the evening was no without its challenges for the left-hander.

Clinton (33-39 overall, 0-3 second half) had a pair of hits in the first inning, a lead-off double in the second inning, and a lead-off hit batsman in the third inning, but they could not dent Sunitsch.

Wisconsin (34-38, 3-0) could not get anything going early against Clinton starting pitcher Jake Walters, who did not make it out of the first inning in a start against the Rattlers back on May 30. Walters gave up one hit through his first five innings on Saturday.
The Timber Rattlers broke the scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brice Turang singled and David Fry walked with one out. Gabriel García stepped to the plate with two outs and sent a sinking line drive to left that got down for a double to score both runners. Jesús Lujano followed with a double to send García home. Lujano would cross home plate after a tricky grounder off the bat of Connor McVey was booted for an error to give the Rattlers a 4-0 lead.

That was more than enough for the Rattlers. Clinton never got a runner past second base in the game and the trio of Timber Rattlers pitchers recorded fifteen strikeouts.

Tyler Gillies worked two scoreless innings before Chad Whitmer closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

The Timber Rattlers have won six in a row against Clinton dating back to a three-game sweep at home at the end of May. The LumberKings have lost six in a row as they lost the final three games of the first half and the first three games of the second half.
Wisconsin and Clinton conclude their series on Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Adam Hill (6-4, 4.11) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Tyler Jones (1-4, 2.65) is set to start for the LumberKings. Game time is 1:05pm.

The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a bobblehead of Adam Jones and Danny Jansen courtesy of Ansay & Associates. 

Get to the park early to play catch in the outfield courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at noon. 

Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their 2019 Brewers-themed jerseys for this game as part of Brewers Sunday with Star 98.5. Players will be available for a postgame autograph session sponsored by Tundraland.

If you can't make it out to the game, there are several ways to follow the action. Saturday's game will be televised on CW-14 in Northeastern Wisconsin and on My-24 in Southeastern Wisconsin starting at 1:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 12:45pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.