SOUTH BEND, IN – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers waited to almost the verry last moment again on Friday night against the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field on Friday night. The Rattlers scored four runs in the ninth inning for the second time in their series with the Cubs and this time they put the game into the win column for a 5-2 win.
Starting pitchers Justin Jarvis of Wisconsin and Max Bain of South Bend dueled through the first four innings and Bain blinked first. Jarvis retired the first eleven batters he faced before walking Tyler Durna with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Bain gave up a single to Hayden Cantrelle with one out in the first inning and retired the next thirteen batters he faced.
Carlos Rodríguez ended that streak with a two-out single in the top of the fifth. Nick Kahle followed with a single to right to send Rodríguez to third base. Chad McClanahan put the Rattlers ahead with a double to left to score Rodríguez.
The Cubs (16-17) answered in the bottom of the fifth. Yonathan Perlaza doubled to start the inning. Jake Washer singled to put runners on the corners. Jarvis limited the damage by getting Jake Slaughter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play for two outs as Perlaza scored the tying run from third.
Wisconsin (17-17) drew a pair of walks in the sixth and knocked Bain out of the game. Reliever Jose Albertos walked the first batter he faced on four pitches to load the bases. Albertos escaped the inning when he got the next hitter to hit into a double play.
Jarvis would toss a scoreless sixth inning to end his night. Bain allowed one run on four hits with two walks and ten strikeouts over 5-1/3 innings. Jarvis allowed one run on three hits with one walks and three strikeouts. Neither would be involved in the decision and it would be up to the bullpens.
South Bend took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back doubles by Perlaza and Washer off reliever Nash Walters.
Hayden Cantrelle singled and stole second to start the Wisconsin eighth inning. He would steal third with one out. Albertos left Cantrelle stranded at third and the Cubs maintained their 2-1 lead.
In the top of the ninth, the Cubs went to Eduarniel Nunez to close the game. Wisconsin had other ideas. Gabriel García started the inning with a walk. Carlos Rodríguez squared around to bunt twice, but a passed ball and a wild pitch got García to third base. Then, Nunez was called for a balk and García scored the tying run.
The at bat continued to Rodríguez and he drew the second walk of the inning. Then, Rodríguez stole second and went to third as the ball deflected into left-center. The Cubs brought the infield in and Nick Kahle sent a chopper to first that was mishandled to let Rodríguez score to go-ahead run..
The Rattlers weren’t done. Garrett Mitchell entered the game to pinch-run for Kahle and he took second on a wild pitch. Chad McClanahan’s grounder to the right side allowed Mitchell to take third base. Another wild pitch let Mitchell score and Wisconsin was up 4-2.
Cantrelle kept the inning going by drawing a walk with two outs to bring Je’Von Ward to the plate. Ward was 0-for-4 to that point of the game and his sixteen-game hitting streak was in danger of coming to an end. Ward made sure the streak reached seventeen by singling through the left side of the infield on a 3-2 pitch to drive in Cantrelle with the fourth run of the inning to give the Rattlers a comfortable 5-2 lead.
Harold Chirino, who had pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, went back out for the bottom of the ninth. He retired the first batter he faced, but walked Nelson Velazquez. Chirino didn’t let the Cubs think about a comeback though. He got Perlaza on a weak chopper to second and struck out Washer to end the game.
Wisconsin also scored four runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning on Wednesday night against the Cubs to tie the game 10-10 on García’s grand slam, but Wisconsin eventually dropped a 13-12 decision in twelve innings to the Cubs. This ending on Friday night was much more satisfying for the Rattlers.
Game five of the series is Saturday night at Four Winds Field. Reese Olson (3-2, 3.30) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Derek Casey (2-3, 4.30) is set to start for the Cubs. Game time is 6:05pm CDT.
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