(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) – GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were hoping that recent history would repeat itself on Wednesday night against the Lake County Captains at Neuroscience Group Field. However, the Captains held on for a 3-1 victory as the Rattlers left the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings.
Lake County (53-45 overall, 18-14 second half) scored in the top of the fourth inning to take the lead. Alfonsin Rosario reached on a bloop single to start the frame. Jaison Chourio singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Chourio was running on a 2-1 pitch to Jose Devers, who hit a grounder to the left side of the infield. Third baseman Juan Baez only had one play and took the out at first as Rosario scored for the 1-0 lead.
The Captains scored two more runs in the top of the fifth. Wisconsin starting pitcher Jaron DeBerry allowed a walk and a double to the first two batters he faced in the inning. DeBerry got a strikeout for the first out. Then, Christian Knapczyk doubled to score both runners and give Lake County a 3-0 lead for the second night in a row.
The Rattlers (44-53, 10-22) came back with a pair of late rallies on Tuesday night to erase Lake County’s 3-0 lead for a 4-3 win. On Wednesday night, they almost repeated the feat.
In the sixth, Wisconsin had two runners on base at the same time in an inning against Captain starter Josh Hartle. Blake Burke hit a sinking line drive to center that looked sure to fall for a hit. However, Chourio made a diving catch to rob Burke of the hit and the Rattlers of their first run.
Hartle left the game after the sixth inning in line for his eighth win of the season. He walked one, hit one, allowed two hits, and struck out three.
Wisconsin made their fans perk up in the eighth inning against Jack Jasiak, one of the top closers in the Midwest League. Jasiak walked back-to-back batters with one out in the frame. Eduardo Garcia followed with a single to left to load the bases. Jasiak walked Burke with the bases loaded to force in a run. Then, he got the next two batters to pop out to keep Lake County in the lead.
The Rattlers almost pulled it off in the bottom of the ninth as the loaded the bases with one out against Jasiak again. This time it was a walk and two singles. Jasiak escaped again with a popup and a grounder to short to earn his twelfth save in thirteen tries this season.
DeBerry allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts over 5-2/3 innings. Relievers Stiven Cruz, Anthony Flores, and Yerlin Rodriguez covered the final 3-1/2 innings without allowing a hit or a run.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field. The Timber Rattlers have named Manuel Rodriguez (1-2, 1.76) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Matt Wilkinson (3-9, 5.03) is set to start for the Captains.
The Timber Rattlers are calling all Harry Potter Fans for tomorrow’s Harry Potter Night. This magical night is for you with a ticket package that includes a ticket to a game and a hat for whichever house you represent…whether that house is Gryffindor™, Hufflepuff™, Ravenclaw ™, or Slytherin™.
Players and coaches will wear some special Harry Potter-themed jerseys that will be up for bid in auctions at this link starting Tuesday at 10:00am and ending on Monday, August 4. Proceeds from the auctions will benefit Timber Rattlers Give Back, the official 501(c)3 of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
The game will get underway at 6:30 p.m.
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