COMSTOCK PARK, MI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers flair for the dramatic turned up in a huge way on Saturday night against the West Michigan Whitecaps. Dylan O’Rae tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single in the seventh, Eduarqui Fernández put the Rattlers in front with a lead-off homer in the ninth, and Luke Adams all but assured Wisconsin its first playoff spot since 2016 with a grand slam later in the inning. Wisconsin’s magic number is one with four games to play after the 7-2 win at LMCU Ballpark.
West Michigan (31-31) broke to the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. A lead-off single and a one-out hit batsman set up the inning. Danny Serretti singled to right to drive in the first run and move a runner to third. Jim Jarvis knocked in the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. That would be all the runs they would get.
The Timber Rattlers (39-23) had a great opportunity to put multiple runs on the board in the top of the third. Terence Doston singled and stole second. Luis Lara reached on an infield single with one out to put runners at first and third. Jadher Areinamo lined an 0-1 pitch over the head of Seth Stephenson in left field. However, the ball hit the warning track and bounced over the fence for a ground rule double. Doston scored on the play but Lara, who would have easily scored on the play, was sent back to third. The inning would end with both runners left on base and the Rattlers trailing 2-1 as West Michigan starter Jaden Hamm got a strikeout and a flyout.
Hamm would allow six hits and walk two over five innings, but the Rattlers would strand six runners over the first five innings, and he left with the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Eduarqui Fernández struck out but reached first on a dropped third strike against reliever Tanner Kohlhepp. Fernández would steal second and take third on a throwing error with one out. Dylan O’Rae tied the game with a single to center.
Chase Costello, who relieved Herrera with a runner at third and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, pitched a 2-1/3 scoreless, perfect innings with three strikeouts to keep the game tied going to the top of the ninth.
Fernández drilled a 2-2 offering from Matt Merrill over the wall in left to start the ninth and the Rattlers had their first lead of the game.
Wisconsin would load the bases as Merrill walked Terence Doston with catcher Josh Crouch and manager Tony Cappicculli ejected by the plate umpire during the at bat. Gabe Sequeira took over after the walk and gave up a single to O’Rae and hit Lara to load the bases.
Adams stepped in with one out and worked the count full before unloading on a payoff pitch to deep left field for the first Rattlers grand slam of the season and a 7-2 lead.
Will Childers worked an anticlimactic 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts to close out the game.
Adams and Fernández both have two homers in the series with the Whitecaps and six home runs this season. O’Rae collected three hits and his 33rd stolen base of the season.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels, the only team in the West Division with a chance to catch the Timber Rattlers for the first half West Division title, won 10-6 at Lansing to prevent the Timber Rattlers from clinching on Saturday night. Wisconsin’s magic number is one with four games to play. One Wisconsin win or one Cedar Rapids loss over the final four games of the first half will give the Rattlers their first playoff spot since the team was a second half Wild Card in 2016. This would be Wisconsin’s first division title since the first half of the 2012 season.
Saturday was the Timber Rattlers tenth win in their final at bat of the season. It was their seventh last at bat victory since May 26. The Timber Rattlers are 12-6 since May 26 as they have moved from a half game behind the Kernels to 3-1/2 games ahead of Cedar Rapids with four games left in the first half.
The series finale is Sunday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark. Game time is 1:00pm CDT.
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