It was the pitchers turn to shine for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Sunday. The Wisconsin offense combined for 27 runs on 27 hits over their last two wins over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. In the series finale at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, Edwin Jimenez and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout in Wisconsin’s 2-0 win.
Dylan O’Rae started the Wisconsin first inning by drawing a walk. He scored two pitches later when Jadher Areinamo doubled to the corner in right for a 1-0 lead.
O’Rae, the Rattlers lead-off hitter, has reached base to start the first inning in five straight games. He has scored in the first inning in four of those games. The only time O’Rae didn’t score in the first inning during the streak was on Saturday when he was thrown out at the plate on a stolen base attempt.
Matt Wood drove in Areinamo with a sacrifice fly later in the first inning for a 2-0 advantage for Wisconsin (10-5).
That was it for the Rattlers offense. After the first inning Wisconsin had two singles and didn’t have runner reach second base. Five Timber Rattlers pitchers made sure that didn’t matter.
Jimenez allowed two hits and struck out four over five scoreless innings to earn his third win in three starts this season. His defense helped with some big plays.
The Kernels (6-8) had runners at first and second with two outs in the third inning. Ricardo Olivar sent a sinking line drive to center and Luis Lara made a sliding catch for the final out.
In the fifth, a single and a wild pitch put a Kernel on second with no outs. Jimenez got the first out on a weak tapper in front of the plate that kept the runner at second. Then, Keoni Cavaco sent a hard grounder to short. Areinamo made a diving stop, held the runner at second, and fired to first in time for the second out. Jimenez ended the inning with a strikeout to keep the lead intact.
Chase Costello was the first Wisconsin reliever, and he tossed a perfect sixth with two strikeouts.
Stiven Cruz was next man up for the bullpen. He got the first out on a big defensive play on a tricky grounder by Dylan O’Rae where Cruz had to race over to cover first base and take the throw. The next two batters reached on a single and a walk. Cruz escaped the jam on a 6-3 double play.
Aaron Rund and Craig Yoho closed out the game in style for Wisconsin’s second shutout of the year. Rund pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning on another sparkling defensive play by Areinamo and two strikeouts. Yoho followed suit by pitching a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for his third save of the season.
Wisconsin has outscored their opponents 21-8 in the first inning this season.
The Timber Rattlers won the final three games of the series to win the six-game series with four wins against the Kernels. Wisconsin has won all three series they have played this season.
The Timber Rattlers are off on Monday. They return to action on Tuesday to start a series with the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park in Peoria, Illinois. Wisconsin has Patricio Aquino (1-0, 2.70) as their scheduled starting pitcher. The Chiefs have named Brycen Mautz (0-2, 9.82) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:05pm CDT.
