Eighth Inning Magic Strikes Again

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers gave the fans who waited until the eighth inning a lot to cheer about on Friday Night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.  The Timber Rattlers trailed the Beloit Sky Carp 5-3 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth to send everyone home happy after a 6-5 win over their in-state rivals.  The Rattlers have won four in a row.

Eduardo García put the Timber Rattlers (69-60 overall, 33-31 second half) up 1-0 with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the second inning.  Wisconsin added to their lead later in the inning.  Zack Raabe was at third and Antonio Piñero was at first.  Piñero stole second and Raabe broke home on the throw a wild throw to second to score the second run.  The error let Piñero take third base.  Arbert Cipion blooped a single over the drawn-in infield to score Piñero and the Rattlers were up 3-0.

Beloit (62-67 overall, 31-33) bounced back in the top of the third to tie the game.  Dalvy Rosario capped a string of three straight singles to score the first run of the inning.  Wisconsin starter Carlos Rodríguez walked the next batter to load the bases.  Brady Allen was next, and he sent a grounder to short.  Wisconsin got the force at second, but the throw to first was wild and two runs scored on the play to tie the game.

Federico Polanco, who started the third inning with a single, started the top of the fifth inning with a triple off the wall in center.  Rosario had a sacrifice fly to knock in Polanco for a 4-3 lead.

Polanco started another rally for the Sky Carp with a one-out single in the top of the seventh.  Reliever Miguel Guerrero walked the next batter before getting a strikeout for the second out of the inning.  A walk to Kyler Castillo on a 3-2 pitch loaded the bases and ended Guerrero’s night.  Taylor Floyd was called in from the Wisconsin bullpen.

Floyd got Allen to send a grounder deep in the hole at short.  García got to the ball and made the throw to first that was in time but just a little off target.  First baseman Ernesto Martínez stretched for the ball and had it in the webbing of his glove…but couldn’t hold it and Polanco scored on the infield single for a 5-3 lead.

That lead would not be enough.

Wisconsin has entered the bottom of the eighth tied or trailing in each of the last three games of the series with the Sky Carp.  The Rattlers scored twice in the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon to erase a 3-2 Beloit lead.  On Thursday night, Wisconsin and Beloit were tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth and the Rattlers scored four runs on the way to a 5-1 victory. 

In the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday, Martínez drew a one-out walk on four pitches against reliever Luarbert Arias.  García was next and he sent a high, towering fly to left on the first pitch of the at bat.  The ball had just enough to carry out of the park for his second home run of the game to tie the game.

Wisconsin wasn’t done.  Raabe doubled with two outs.  Piñero followed with another double and Raabe scored to put the Rattlers in the lead.

James Meeker took over in the top of the ninth inning.  He got the first out before walking Castillo, who walked five times in the game.  Allen stepped to the plate and hit into a game-ending double play that started with a diving stop by García at short, a good turn at second by Piñero, and a stretch at first by Martínez.  Meeker picked up his seventeenth save of the season.

Game five of the series is Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.  Stiven Cruz (1-1, 0.47) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers.  Beloit has named Gabe Bierman (1-1, 2.25) as their starter.  Game time is 6:40pm.

Wisconsin players and coaches are honoring our neighbors from the Upper Peninsula by wearing some Yooper-inspired jerseys for this game.  These jerseys won’t be up for auction this year, but we are still celebrating all things UP on this night.  Tundraland presents the final postgame fireworks with one last Kids Run the Bases post-fireworks for children twelve and under courtesy of Meijer on a Family Night from Stacey Hennessey Century 21 Affiliated and 101.1 WIXX.

Additionally, there are a limited number of 2023 Magnet Schedules available for fans after the game courtesy of Amcor.

If you can’t make it out to the ballpark, the radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starting at 6:20pm.  The game is also available on MiLB.tv for subscribers.