GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers held the Quad Cities River Bandits to two hits and made the most of their own opportunities to pick up a 4-1 win at Neuroscience Group Field a Fox Cities Stadium on Thursday night. Carlos Luna allowed one run on one hit over 5-2/3 innings for the win and LG Castillo extended his hitting streak to thirteen games with a big, two-run double.
Wisconsin (27-29) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first inning. Joe Gray Jr. drove in David Hamilton with a sacrifice fly to put the Rattlers up 1-0.
Logan Porter evened the score for the River Bandits (36-19) in the top of the third. Porter hit a solo home run to right-center, his third home run of the season, and the game was tied 1-1.
The Timber Rattlers went back in front in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of their hottest hitter. Gray started the inning with a walk and Je’Von Ward followed with a single. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position for Castillo, who promptly lined a double to left and scored both runners for a 3-1 lead.
Ward added a run to the Wisconsin lead with an RBI grounder in the bottom of the fifth.
Luna held the River Bandits in check after the home run by Porter. That homer was the only hit Luna allowed over 5-2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
Evan Reifert took over for Luna with two outs and a runner at first in the top of the sixth and got a strikeout to end the inning.
Quad Cities had two runners on with no outs in the top of the seventh on a single and a walk. Reifert stopped that rally in its tracks with a strikeout and a double play ball and he would go on to work a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Chirino pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.
Howell had three hits and Cantrelle was on base four times with three walks and a hit batsman to lead the offense.
Game four of the series is set for Friday night. Justin Bullock (4-1, 2.40) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Noah Murdock (0-1, 5.06) has been named the starter for the River Bandits. Game time is 7:05pm.
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