(TIMBER RATTLERS) – GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers returned home on Tuesday night to play their first game at Neuroscience Group Field since July 13. The Rattlers gave the 5,573 fans in attendance plenty to cheer late in the game as they scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game, a run in the eighth to take the lead, and a nail-biting top of the ninth to survive for a 4-3 win over the Lake County Captains.
Robert Gasser made his second rehabilitation start for the Timber Rattlers. He pitched two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked none, struck out four, and hit 95 with a couple of fastballs. Gasser needed 22 pitches (10 strikes) to work his scoreless frames.
Estaban González gave Lake County (52-45 overall, 17-14 second half) the lead with a long home run to right-center with one out in the top of the third inning against reliever Ryan Birchard.
Birchard walked the next two batters on eight pitches before getting the second out. The, Ralphy Velazquez lined a double off the top of the wall in left to drive in two runs and the Captains were up 3-0.
From there Birchard held the line. He did not allow a run and only one hit over his final 4-2/3 innings.
Wisconsin (44-52, 10-21) rallied in the seventh inning. Yhoswar Garcia started the inning with a single and stole second. A balk Sean Matson moved Garcia to third. Eduardo Garcia cashed in the opportunity with an infield single.
Blake Burke continued the rally with a walk, his third of four on the night. Hedbert Pérez was next, and he sent a grounder to the left side of the infield that looked like it was heading to left. Third baseman Maick Collado made a diving stop and tried to get the force play at second. However, the throw was wild. Garcia scored and Burke wound up on third before the ball was retrieved.
Luiyin Alastre fell behind Matson 0-2 before he lined a single to left to drive in Burke with the tying run.
Birchard went back out for the top of the eighth and retired the first two batters he faced. Jack Seppings was called in from the Wisconsin to get the final out of the eighth to set up the Rattlers offense.
Yhoswar Garcia started the rally again with a one-out walk against Josh Harlow. He would steal second and third to give him 45 stolen bases on the season. Garcia was still at third with two outs when it was Eduardo Garcia’s turn.
Eduardo lined a 3-2 pitch from Harlow down the line in left for an RBI double and a 4-3 lead.
Seppings went back out for the ninth and set down two of the first three batters he faced with a Jaison Chourio single as the first runner of the innings.
The Captains loaded the bases on a single by Nick Mitchell and a walk on a 3-2 pitch to Jacob Cozart to bring González to the plate with the game on the line.
Seppings closed out the game in style with a strikeout on a 1-2 pitch to give the Rattlers the win and earn his first Midwest League victory.
Eduardo Garcia was 3-for-5 with two RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases.
Game two of the series is Wednesday night at Neuroscience Group Field. Jaron DeBerry (2-3, 5.51) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattler. Lake County has named Josh Hartle (7-2, 2.95) as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm.
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