PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fell way behind the Peoria Chiefs early in Thursday’s game at Dozer Park. The Rattlers rallied late with a pair of homers but couldn’t make up a 7-0 deficit and eventually fell 7-5 to the Chiefs.
Wisconsin (8-15) had a promising start to the game as Eric Brown Jr and Robert Moore singled to put two runners on with no outs. They were left stranded as the next three Rattlers were retired.
Nathan Church hit a lead-off home run for Peoria (12-12) in the bottom of the first inning. This marked the ninth game in a row in which Wisconsin’s opponents scored first. The Rattlers are 1-8 in their last nine games.
A grounder to second was played into a hit with one out and a four-pitch walk by Wisconsin starting pitcher Stiven Cruz put two runners on base. The next Peoria batter flew out center on the first pitch he saw, and it looked like Cruz might be able to get out of the inning.
However, Osvaldo Tovalin hit the next pitch to the wall in right for a two-run double. Tyler Reichenborn followed with a two-run homer to left on a 3-0 pitch and the Chiefs had a five-run lead after one inning.
The Chiefs loaded the bases on two walks and a single with one out in the bottom of the third to end the night for Cruz. Reliever Luis Amaya took over for Cruz and walked Aaron McKeithian to force in a run. Tovalin reached on a two-out, infield single to get another run across the plate to put Peoria up 7-0.
Peoria starting pitcher Trent Baker left the game after five innings. He walked one, allowed four hits, and struck out four without allowing a run.
The Rattlers got on the board against the Peoria bullpen. Eduardo García tripled with two outs in the top of the seventh against Gustavo Rodriguez. Jesús Chirinos followed with a home run to left. The homer was the second of the season for Chirinos.
Wisconsin got a little closer in the eighth inning against Leonardo Tavares. García was hit by a pitch and Chirinos walked with one out. Je’Von Ward was next, and he lined a shot over the wall in left-center. That long ball was Ward’s first homer since August 12, 2021 and pulled the Rattlers to within 7-5. Ward had missed the entire 2022 season with injuries.
That was as close as the Rattlers would get. Andrew Marrero took over on the hill for the Chiefs and got the final two outs of the eighth inning. He would walk Brown to start the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate. However, a double play erased that possibility, and a foul pop ended the game.
Brown, in his second game back from being hit in the face with a pitch last Wednesday, reached base three times with a single, a walk, and a double.
The Rattlers bullpen pitched 7-2/3 scoreless innings. Luis Amaya, who did allow two inherited runners to score, worked 2-2/3 innings. Ryan Brady had two scoreless, hitless innings. Taylor Floyd struck out a pair of batters in a scoreless seventh. Caleb Bowman tossed a scoreless eighth.
Game four of the series is Friday night at Dozer Park. Tyler Woessner (3-1, 2.45) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Zane Mills (2-1, 6.16) is set to start for Peoria. Game time is 6:35pm.
Comments