GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have their first six-game winning streak of the season after Sunday’s 5-3 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps at Neuroscience Group Field. Felix Valerio had a two-run single as part of a four-run fifth inning that was the difference in the game.
The game was started on Saturday night before a sudden downpour hit the area to halt the game after one inning and a thirty minute delay. The game was resumed on Sunday afternoon and the Whitecaps (41-45 overall, 10-10 second half) took the lead.
Patrick Lee doubled and took third on an error as the first batter of the top of the second. Danny Serretti drove in Lee with a single for the 1-0 lead.
Wisconsin (56-30, 14-6) tied the game in the bottom of the third. Luis Lara singled and stole second. Luke Adams drove in Lara with a single to even the score.
Jheremy Vargas and Lara started the rally in the bottom of the fifth with consecutive singles. Then, Eduardo Garcia singled to send Vargas across the plate with the go-ahead run. Valerio stepped in with one out and found himself down 0-2 before he lined a one-hop double off the wall in left to drive in both runners. Tayden Hall capped the inning with an RBI single for a 5-1 lead.
Devin Williams, who was with the Timber Rattlers on a Major League rehab assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, took the mound for the top of the sixth. Williams struck out all three batters he faced with fourteen pitches – nine strikes – before leaving as scheduled.
The Whitecaps got close in the seventh inning with solo homers from Serretti and Dom Johnson off Tyler Wehrle.
Stiven Cruz, Wisconsin’s sixth pitcher of the game, hit the first batter he faced in the eighth. He retired the next three hitters to maintain the lead.
Chase Costello struck out the first two batters in the ninth. However, a single, a walk, and a single loaded the bases for West Michigan. Costello got the final out on a force out at third for his third save of the season.
Wisconsin is 26 games over .500 for the first time since July 30, 2001 when they were 65-39.
The Timber Rattlers and the rest of the Midwest League are off for the next four days. Wisconsin returns to action on Friday, July 19 with the first game of a three-game series against the Cedar Rapids Kernel at Rise 2 Greatness Field in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Game time is 6:35pm.
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