The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and Cedar Rapids Kernels will have to wait until Saturday to finish Friday’s game.  Rain stopped the Midwest League contest at Perfect Game Field with the Timber Rattlers leading 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Wes Clarke gave the Rattlers (58-52 overall, 22-23 second half) the lead with a line drive, two-run home run to right-center with one out in the top of the first inning.  The homer was Clarke’s ninth of the season.

Brady Schanuel was tapped to make his second straight start after 99 straight relief appearances as a pro.  He pitched a 1-2-3 first inning with two strikeouts.  In the second, Schanuel had runners at first and second with two outs.  Charles Mack sent a grounder up the middle.  Second baseman Ethan Murray made a diving stop to keep the ball from getting into the outfield, but the infield single loaded the bases for the Kernels (66-45, 23-22).  Schanuel got the final out on a deep fly to right that was run down by Arbert Cipion on the track.

Clarke drew a two-out walk in the top of the third to extend the inning.  Then, Joe Gray Jr cracked a home run, his fourteenth of the season, to left and the Rattlers were up 4-0 after three innings as Schanuel worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning.

Wisconsin tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fourth inning.  Murray walked and took second on an errant pickoff throw.  Cipion put runners on the corners when he reached on an error and the spelled the end of the line for Kernels starter Luis Rijo.

Ryan Shreve took over for Rijo and allowed a sacrifice fly to Antonio Piñero to put the Rattlers up 5-0.

Zach Mort was warming up for the Timber Rattlers to start the bottom of the fourth inning when the call for the tarp was made.  The game was officially halted just over an hour later.