(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) BELOIT, WI – Julio Mendez tamed the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Saturday night at ABC Supply Stadium. The Beloit Sky Carp starting pitcher combined with two relievers on a two-hit, 5-0 shutout of Wisconsin.
Beloit (66-64 overall, 39-26 second half) exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to provide the only scoring of the game. Wisconsin starter Daniel Corniel walked two batters with one out to set up the Sky Carp. Cam Clayton singled to center to drive in the runner from second. A grounder to first got the second out to leave the Sky Carp with runners at second and third. Then, Esmil Valencia hit a hard grounder to short that got through to the gap in left-center for a two-run double. Brian Sanchez followed with a two-run home run for a 5-0 lead.
Wisconsin (67-59, 33-31) could do almost nothing against Mendez. The left-hander allowed two hits, walked three, hit a batter, and struck out eleven over seven innings. The eleven strikeouts matched a professional single-game high for Mendez.
Rattlers reliever Jarrette Bonet was nearly perfect out of the bullpen. He retired the first eleven Sky Carp batters he faced before giving up a two-out single in the eighth. Bonet struck out three and walked none over four shutout frames to give the offense a chance to come back.
Hayden Cuthbertson took over for Mendez. He pitched around a one-out walk in the eighth. In the ninth, Cuthbertson walked three straight Rattlers with one out to load the bases.
Peyton Fosher was called in from the Beloit bullpen to close out the game. Fosher got a game-ending 4-3 double play to hand the Rattlers their seventh shutout loss of the season.
Brady Ebel was on base three times for Wisconsin with a single, a walk, and a hit batsman. Tyler Rodriguez was also on base three times as he drew three walks for the Rattlers. Tayden Hall had Wisconsin’s other hit, a one-out single in the sixth.
The season finale for both teams is set for Sunday afternoon at ABC Supply Stadium. Ethan Dorchies (5-10, 5.20) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Jesus Rios (5-7, 6.31) is believed to be the starter for the Sky Carp. Game time is 1:05pm.
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