(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers solved the problem of the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday at Neuroscience Group Field. The Rattlers had been 2-9 against South Bend in the prior eleven meetings of the 2026 season before the Rattlers picked up a 4-3 over the first half West Division champions.
The Timber Rattlers (63-53 overall, 29-25 second half) grabbed the early lead on a two-run double by Eric Bitonti in the bottom of the first inning.
The Milwaukee Brewers provided the pitchers to cover the first two innings of the game. JoJo Romero, who joined the Brewers from the St. Louis Cardinals at the Trade Deadline, made his organizational debut on a rehab assignment. He allowed a walk, got a strikeout, and needed only eleven pitches for a scoreless inning in his first game since July 12. Abner Uribe, another Brewer on rehab assignment with the Rattlers, tossed a scoreless second with a walk and a strikeout on eighteen pitches.
South Bend (69-48, 32-25) tied the game in the third inning against Josh Knoth. Alexey Lumpuy hit a lead-off homer. That was followed by a double and an error to put runners on the corners with no outs. Angel Cepeda tied the game with a sacrifice fly, but Knoth allowed nothing else in the frame.
A scary incident involving Wisconsin infielders Brady Ebel and Daniel Dickinson occurred in with two outs in the fifth. Lumpuy was at second when Jose Escobar hit a grounder up the middle with Ebel coming over from short and Dickinson after the ball from his second base position. Dickinson fielded the ball just before the pair collided with Ebel flipping over and landing hard on the outfield grass. Dickinson was able to fire the ball to the plate to keep Lumpuy from scoring before he went down, too.
Lumpuy was caught in a rundown that he was able to escape and that allowed Escobar to take second base. Ebel had to leave the game but was able to walk off on his own power. Knoth preserved the tie when play resumed by getting the final out of the inning on a strikeout.
Wisconsin took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from Cubs starter Jostin Florentino to start the inning, but he was still at first with two outs. Sawyer Strosnider lined a double to center, his third hit of the night, to knock in Rodriguez for a 3-2 lead.
Rodriguez provided insurance for the Rattlers with a towering, lead-off home run in the bottom of the seventh for a 4-2 advantage.
Knoth gave up a lead-off home run to Josiah Hartshorn in the top of the eighth and the Cubs were back within a run. Knoth got the next two outs before giving up consecutive singles. Then, Knoth completed his sixth inning of work with a called third strike to Brennan Hudson to keep the Rattlers in the lead.
José Mercedes had no problem with the Cubs in the top of the ninth. He pitched a perfect inning on twelve pitches for his second save as a Rattler.
Knoth picked up the win, his fifth of the season. He walked one and struck out four over his six frames.
Game two of the series is Wednesday evening at Neuroscience Group Field. Ethan Dorchies (5-9, 5.10) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Brayden Spears (8-3, 4.55) is set to start for the Cubs. Game time is 6:40pm.
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