Carlos Rodríguez allowed one run over six innings and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hit three home runs on Sunday afternoon against the Lansing Lugnuts for a 5-2 win at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
Ben Metzinger put the Timber Rattlers (61-58 overall, 25-29 second half) in front with a lead-off home run to dead center in the bottom of the first inning. The homer came on a 100-mph pitch from Lansing starting pitcher Mason Miller.
Jackson Chourio celebrated his return to the Wisconsin lineup with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning off Jorge Juan. Sunday was Chourio’s first game since August 17 and this homer, his fifth with Wisconsin and seventeenth of the season between the Rattlers and the Carolina Mudcats, put the Rattlers up 4-0.
Chourio, the #1 prospect of the Milwaukee Brewers, was the designated hitter in the game and went 1-for-2. He was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning in his final plate appearance of the game. The plan was to have Chourio bat three times in the game before leaving. For more on this listen to Joe Ayrault’s comments at the 12:15 mark of the Timber Rattlers Postgame Podcast from Sunday
The Lugnuts (50-70, 25-29) scored in the fifth inning. Jared McDonald doubled to start the frame. Sahid Valenzuela drove in McDonald with a one-out single. Wisconsin starting pitcher Carlos Rodríguez stopped the rally when he got the next batter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.
Rodríguez worked six innings, allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out seven to put himself in line for the win.
Lansing had two outs with none on base in the top of the eighth inning when reliever Jeison Peña gave up a single and a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Joshwan Wright was next, and he blooped a single to right to score a run and put runners on the corners with the lead run coming to the plate.
Taylor Floyd was called in from the Wisconsin bullpen and struck out Lawrence Butler for the final out to keep the Rattlers in the lead.
Jeferson Quero added an insurance run for the Rattlers in the bottom of the eighth when he hit a lead-off home run. The homer was his first of the season for the Timber Rattlers and traveled 420’ with an exit velocity of 109-mph.
James Meeker pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth on just six pitches for his twelfth save of the season.
The Timber Rattlers are off on Monday. They are back in action on Tuesday night at Dozer Park with game one of a series with the Peoria Chiefs in Illinois. Stiven Cruz (1-1, 0.75) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Peoria has named Austin Love (7-11, 5.84) as their starter. Game time is 6:35pm.
