(TIMBER RATTLERS) DAVENPORT, IA – A two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning led to the only run of Wednesday’s game at Modern Woodmen Park between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Quad Cities River Bandits. Carson Roccaforte cracked a two-out, RBI double on a 2-2 pitch for put the Bandits up 1-0. That 1-0 score would be the final as the home team held off a last-ditch rally by Wisconsin.
Quad Cities (4-1) took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Wisconsin pitchers Ryan Birchard, Zach Peek, and Daniel Corniel held the River Bandits to one hit over the first 6-/23 innings. Corniel had retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth for his Rattlers debut. He went back out for the bottom of the seventh and quickly retired the first two Bandits of that inning.
However, Chris Brito, who had the first Quad Cities hit of the game with a double in the third inning, doubled to extend the seventh inning. Roccaforte was next, and he doubled on one hop off the wall in right-center to drive in Brito for a 1-0 lead.
Wisconsin (2-3) had missed on their chance to take the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Blake Burke and Matt Wood started the inning with consecutive singles. Burke tried to steal third on a 2-2 pitch with Eduardo Garcia at the plate. However, the throw to third was just in time to nip Burke for the first out. Garcia would walk on the next offering from Quad Cities reliever Tyler Davis. Then, Davis got Daniel Guilarte to ground into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
In the ninth, the Rattlers threatened again. Wood walked to start the frame against Zachary Cawyer. Garcia followed with a single. Guilarte grounded back to the mound and Cawyer went to third for the force out on Wood for the first out. Cawyer got the second out with a strikeout but walked Kay-Lan Nicasia to load the bases. The threat ended moments later when Yhoswar Garcia popped out to Brito to end the game.
Both teams had four hits and stranded eight runners in the contest.
Birchard, in his 2025 debut with Wisconsin, allowed one hit, walked four, and struck out four over 3-2/3 innings. The Bandits nearly took the lead against Birchard in the bottom of the third. Brito reached leadoff double. Birchard got the next two outs on a strikeout and a foul popout. Then, Sam Kulasingam hit a hard grounder to the right side of the infield. Burke ranged far from first base and made a dive for the ball, but it got past him. However, Jadher Areinamo ranged far to his left from his second base position and fired a strike to Birchard covering the bag for the final out.
In the fourth, Birchard got the first two batters, but walked the final two batters he faced. Zach Peek came on to get the final out.
The teams have split the first two games of the series with the winning team recording a shutout in each victory. Game three of the series is Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Manuel Rodriguez (0-1, 0.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. The River Bandits have named Frank Mozzicato (1-0, 1.80) as their starter. Game time is 6:30pm.
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