(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) GRAND CHUTE, WI – Three Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout to beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-0 on Tuesday night a Neuroscience Group Field. The Rattlers scored all of their runs in the fourth inning as they stayed unbeaten to open the second half of the Midwest League season.
Wisconsin (37-28 overall, 3-0 second half) grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. Daniel Guilarte and Juan Baez had back-to-back RBI singles with one out. Later in the inning, Marco Dinges stepped up with the bases loaded and two outs. He grounded a single to center to score two runs. A wild throw to third wound up in the Kernels dugout to allow another run to score and Dinges to take third with a 5-0 lead.
That was more than enough for Braylon Owens. The Kernels (31-36, 0-3) barely threatened to score against the Wisconsin starting pitcher as they had one at bat with a runner in scoring position with Owens on the mound.. Owens worked five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, walked one, hit a batter, and struck out eight before turning the game over to the bullpen.
The bullpen was almost flawless. Garrett Hodges was the first Rattler reliver into the game. He retired the side in order in the sixth. In the seventh, a lead-off walk was quickly erased on a double play with the third out to follow a few moments later.
Peyton Niksch took over as he retired the Kernels in order in the top of the eighth inning. A one-out double by Eduardo Tait on a flyball lost in the twilight put Wisconsin’s fifth shutout of the season in jeopardy before Niksch set down the final two batters of the game.
Josiah Ragsdale drew a walk and scored a run in the decisive fifth inning for Wisconsin. His on-base streak moved to 27 games. Ragsdale has scored 29 runs during the streak.
Owens has struck out 76 opposing batters this season. He is second in the Midwest League in that category, trailing only Beloit’s Liomar Martinez, who has 79 on the season.
Wisconsin is nine games over .500 for the first time this season after Thursday’s win.
Game two of the series is Wednesday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field. Josh Knoth (0-0, 2.70) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Cedar Rapids has named Riley Quick (0-1, 4.55) as their starter. Game time is 12:10pm.
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