(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were one out away from a win over the Peoria Chiefs on Thursday night at Dozer Park. That final out proved to be elusive as the Chiefs scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Rattlers 7-6.
The Timber Rattlers (16-12) took the lead in the top of the first. Josh Adamczewski singled to start the game but was still at first base with two outs. Eric Bitonti cashed in Adamczewski with a double to right-center.
Peoria (14-15) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third inning against Wisconsin starting pitcher Braylon Owens. An infield ground out by Ian Petrutz knocked in the tying run. Rainiel Rodriguez gave the Chiefs the lead with a two-run single.
Wisconsin rallied in the sixth inning against the Peoria bullpen. Chiefs starting pitcher Yhoiker Fajardo had struck out seven with no walks and only one hit after the first inning as he went five frames.
Andrew Fischer started the rally in the sixth with a one-out double against Ruben Menes. Bitonti followed with a walk. Then, Josiah Ragsdale singled to left and Fischer just beat the throw to the plate.
Tayden Hall drew a two-out walk to load the bases and bring Juan Baez to the plate. Baez struck out, but the ball strike three went to the backstop on strike three to allow Bitonti to score the tying run.
Blayberg Diaz was next and he worked the count full against Bobby Olsen, the second Peoria pitcher of the inning. The runners were going with two outs on the payoff pitch and Diaz sent a grounder behind second base. Tre Richardson had to range over to get to the ball and throw off-balance to first. Diaz was called safe with Ragsdale and Hall scoring on the play for a 5-3 advantage.
Yorman Galindez took over for Owens to start the bottom of the sixth. Owens recovered after the third inning and would allow one more hit as he struck out six over his five innings.
Galindez allowed one hit over a scoreless sixth, seventh, and eighth to maintain the lead for the Rattlers.
Ragsdale added an insurance run for Wisconsin with a two-out, RBI single in the top of the ninth for a 6-3 lead.
José Suárez started the bottom of the ninth with a double for the Chiefs. Galindez got the first out with his eighth strikeout and appeared to retire Jose Cordoba on a grounder to second. However, Diaz was called for catcher interference. An infield single by Tre Richardson loaded the bases.
Galindez got the second out of the ninth with his ninth strikeout of the game by retiring Petrutz on three pitches. However, Galindez was at 58 pitches, the most he has tossed in a game this season, his sixth appearance of the season. Prior to this season with Wisconsin, Galindez had not pitched since June 13, 2024.
Wisconsin turned to Jose Nova to try to close out the game. Rodriguez, the St. Louis Cardinals #2 prospect, greeted Nova with a two-run single that cut the Rattlers lead to one run and sent Richardson to third with the tying run. A wild pitch by Nova with Jalin Flores at the plate moments later let Richardson score. Flores sent a deep fly to left-center that dropped on the warning track just out of the reach of Adamczewski for an RBI double to win the game.
Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with four RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base to lead the Chiefs offense. Adamczewski had three hits and scored twice for the Rattlers.
Game four of the series is Friday night at Dozer Park. Ethan Dorchies (1-4, 7.54) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Tanner Franklin (0-1, 4.91) is set to start for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:35pm.
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