KFIZ Sports Scoreboard 8/25/21

Milwaukee Brewers 4 Cincinnati Reds 1

Brandon Woodruff had another solid outing, as he struck out 10 in six shutout innings and the Milwaukee Brewers cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The win also put more distance between the front-running Brewers and Cincinnati, with the lead now at 9.5 games.

Avisail Garcia hit an RBI double and made two big defensive plays in right field for the Brewers, who have won 12 of 15.

Woodruff (8-7), an All-Star in 2019 and 2021, struggled in his two previous starts, giving up six runs in five innings at St. Louis after lasting only three innings in Chicago against the Cubs. But this time, he permitted only four hits and retired 13 straight batters during one stretch.

The two teams combined for 25 strikeouts.

Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo (7-13) gave up two runs and had six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

The two teams wrap up the 3-game series Thursday afternoon.

Packers Announce Roster Moves

The Green Bay Packers have signed DL Abdullah Anderson and CB Stephen Denmark, placed WR Devin Funchess on injured reserve, and released WR Chris Blair.

General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transactions Wednesday.Anderson (6-3, 303) is a second-year player out of Bucknell that originally signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in May 2018. After spending his rookie season on the Bears’ practice squad, he moved between the practice squad and active roster in 2019, appearing in six games.

Anderson began the 2020 season on the Bears’ practice squad before joining the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad in late September and the Vikings’ active roster in November, where he went on to appear in one contest. In 2021, Anderson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was released on Aug. 17. He will wear No. 72 for the Packers.

Denmark, a 6-2, 220-pound, first-year player out of Valdosta State, was originally selected by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round (No. 238 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season and the beginning of the 2020 season on the Bears’ practice squad and then spent some time on the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns. This offseason, Denmark signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was released on Aug. 17. In college, he was a two-time first-team All-Gulf South Conference selection. Denmark will wear No. 34 for the Packers.

Timber Rattlers Almost Complete Double-Header Sweep

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers almost made it.  They had a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning of game two of their doubleheader with the Quad Cities River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park on Wednesday night.  They just needed to get through a few more innings against the team with the best record in the High-A Central League to get a sweep of the twinbill. 

It was not to be as the Bandits(64-33) scored three runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth to rally for a 5-3 win over the Rattlers.

Joey Wiemer got Wisconsin (47-51) off to a very fast start.  The slugging outfielder hit the first pitch of game two out of the park for a lead-off homer and a 1-0 Rattlers lead.

Rattlers starting pitcher Joey Matulovich stranded two runners in each of the first two innings to keep the one-run advantage.

The Timber Rattlers added two runs in the top of the third.  Zavier Warren drove in Antonio Piñero with a sacrifice fly for the first run.  Joe Gray Jr knocked in Wiemer with a double a few moments later and Wisconsin was up 3-0,

The River Bandits rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.  The first two batters reached on singles.  Then, Tucker Bradley hit a double off the wall in right-center to score two runs and knock Matulovich out of the game,

Harold Chirino entered the game from the Wisconsin bullpen and gave up a single to Nick Loftin that put runners on the corners.  Michael Massey tied the game with a sacrifice fly to score Bradley.

Bradley gave the River Bandits the lead in the bottom of the sixth.  Chirino gave up a walk and a single with one out.  He struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning.  Then, Bradley hit a 1-1 pitch to the wall in left for an opposite field double to score both runners and Quad Cities was up 5-3 for their first lead of the day

Nathan Webb, the River Bandits reliever who had pitched a scoreless top of the sixth inning, went back out for the top of the seventh and retired Wisconsin in order to close out the game and gain the split.

The series continues Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park.   Wisconsin has named Nick Bennett (2-3, 4.29) as their starting pitcher.  The River Bandits will go with Dante Biasi (5-2, 3.47) as their starter.  Game time is 6:30pm.