Clark Delivers Another Walkoff Win for the Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers sent a Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium crowd of over 6,000 home happy after another walkoff victory. Zach Clark singled with two-outs in the bottom of the ninth to send Tristen Lutz home for a 2-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Cedar Rapids (65-59 overall, 33-22 second half) took the lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Mitchell Helman tripled with one out. Trevor Larnach followed with an RBI single and the Kernels had the 1-0 advantage.

The Rattlers (60-64, 29-26) responded in the bottom of the fourth Darren Seferina doubled and stole third to start the inning. He scored the tying run on a wild pitch.

Those were the only runs allowed by the starting pitchers, who dueled through seven innings. Cedar Rapids starter Jhoan Durán gave up five hits, walked none, and struck out nine over his seven innings. Wisconsin starter Dylan File allowed four hits, walked none, and also struck out nine. Neither pitcher was involved in the decision.

Clayton Andrews relieved File to start the top of the eighth inning and gave up a lead-off single before retiring the next six hitters he faced to keep the game close.

The winning rally started when Lutz reached on an error to start the bottom of the ninth. Kernels reliever Randy Dobnak kept Lutz at first as he retired the next two batters. Chad McClanahan got the game to Clark with a bloop single to left the got Lutz to second with the winning run.

Clark, who had been 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first three at bats of the night, stepped into the box with a history of success against Dobnak with four hits in five at bats against the Kernels pitcher this season. Clark delivered a bloop hit to right that was fielded on one hop. The throw to the plate was just a little off line and that allowed Lutz to beat the throw and score the winning run.

The win was the ninth walk-off win of the season for the Rattlers. It was also their fifth walkoff win in seven home games in the month of August.
 
Game two of the series is Sunday afternoon. Aaron Ashby (1-0, 2.66) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Cedar Rapids has named Edwar Colina (6-4, 2.55) as their starter. Game time is 1:05pm.
Sunday is the final Brewers Sunday of 2018 presented by Rasmussen College and Star 98. Timber Rattlers players and coaches will wear their Brewers-themed jerseys during the game and these jerseys are up for bid in an online auction at TimberRattlersAuctions.com. The auction ends at 3:00pm on Sunday.

It is also almost time to head back to school and EdVest and the Timber Rattlers are here to help you get ready with a backpack giveaway for the first 1,000 fans to attend the game.
You may play catch on-field for thirty minutes courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at noon. Players will be available for a postgame autograph session sponsored by Tundraland.

If you can't make it out to the ballpark, there are many ways to catch the action. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 12:45pm. The broadcast is also available on the Tune In and IHeart Radio apps. The game will be televised on CW-14 in Northeastern Wisconsin and on My24 in Southeastern Wisconsin starting at 1:00pm. Subscribers to MiLB.tv can watch the game over the internet.