(WNFL) GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers scored nine runs in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie and cruise to a 16-6 win over the Peoria Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Rattlers hit five home runs in the game to match a team record. David Denson led the way with two homers and four hits.
Jake Gatewood started the scoring when he lined a two-run home run to left with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. The home run was the tenth of the season for Gatewood.Peoria (49-39 overall, 9-9 second half) tied the game in the top of the second inning. Carlos Torres hit a two-run double to even the score.Wisconsin (43-45, 9-9) went right back in front in the bottom of the second. Luis Aviles hit a leadoff homer, his fourth home run of the season, to make it 3-2 in favor of the Rattlers.Sthervin Matos made it 4-2 for the Rattlers with a solo home run with one out in the fifth inning. The homer was the first for Matos since July 20, 2015.The first three Wisconsin home runs in the game were hit off Peoria starting pitcher Brennan Leitao, who had allowed five home runs in 88 innings pitched prior to today.The Chiefs cut into the Rattlers lead with an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning. The bases were loaded with two outs and Torres was at the plate. The first pitch from reliever David Lucroy was a ball. The return throw to the mound deflected off the glove of Lucroy and the runner at third raced home to score.Wisconsin added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Denson doubled with one out to chase Leitao from the game. Aviles welcomed reliever Gerwuins Velazco to the game with an RBI double. Alan Sharkey singled later in the inning to put the Rattlers up 6-3.But, the Chiefs came back in the top of the seventh. There were two outs with none on base when Peoria strung together three straight singles. The final single was by Chris Chinea to knock in a run and knock Lucroy out of the game. Alex Farina came out of the Rattlers bullpen to face RJ Dennard, but gave up a two-run double to allow the Chiefs to tie the game 6-6.The Rattlers responded in the bottom of the seventh with a big inning that started out small.Mitch Ghelfi, who – like Denson – had four hits in the game, started the inning with a double. Isan Diaz moved Ghelfi to third with a grounder to the right side of the infield. Gatewood lined a single through the drawn-in infield to score Ghelfi and the Rattlers were up 7-6. They were just getting started.Denson was next and he lined a two-run homer over the wall in left field. The homer was Denson’s eighth of the season.Aviles walked and one out later Sharkey was hit by a pitch. Then, Matos and Troy Stokes, Jr. would come up with consecutive RBI singles to make it 11-6. Steven Gallardo took over for Velazco and Ghelfi welcomed him with another double. This one scored Matos. Diaz was next and he tripled to right-center to knock in two more runs. A wild pitch by Gallardo allowed Diaz to score the ninth and final run of the inning.Denson put a cap on the day with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the eighth.The Timber Rattlers have now hit five home runs in a game three times in their history. The first time was at Kane County on July 8, 2007. The second time was also at Kane County and it happened on June 10, 2016.
