The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers made a costly mistake and missed a huge scoring opportunity of their own against the Great Lakes Loons at Dow Diamond on Wednesday night. A two-out error extended the bottom of the fifth inning and the team with the best record in High-A baseball got a big hit to go up 2-0 on their way to a 2-1 victory.
Starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski struggled with his control in his second start for the Timber Rattlers. He walked two, hit two, and racked up 70 pitches in three innings. He allowed one hit, but the Loons stranded six runners in the first three innings thanks to three strikeouts.
Misiorowski would not return for the fourth, but Great Lakes (40-18) kept the pressure on reliever Max Lazar, who had to work through a jam of his own and stranded runners at second and third with a strikeout to end the inning.
Lazar gave up a hit on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning before getting the next batter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play on the second pitch. However, a double, an error, and a stolen base put two more runners in scoring position for the Loons. This time, Great Lakes cashed in on a single up the middle by Ismael Alcantara to score both runs.
Loons’ starter Justin Wrobleski struck out ten over five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. He would leave the game up to the Loons bullpen. The Rattlers offense would make them work to keep the lead right away.
Robert Moore hit a lead-off homer in the top of the sixth off Michael Hobbs. Moore has homered in two straight games with this one pulling Wisconsin (23-34) to within 2-1.
Hobbs would give up a single to Matt Wood before walking Joe Gray Jr and Darrien Miller to load the bases with no outs. The Rattlers couldn’t convert as Aldry Alcantara relieved Hobbs and retired the next three hitters with a popup and back-to-back strikeouts. Wisconsin would not get another chance.
Alcantara pitched a perfect seventh, Christian Suarez worked around a two-out hit batsmen, and Juan Morillo was perfect with two strikeouts in the ninth for the save.
Five Loons pitchers combined to strike out seventeen in the game.
Wood extended his hitting streak to ten games with his single in the sixth inning. He became the first Rattler hitter to reach double digits for a hitting streak this season.
The series is even at 1-1 through the first two games.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at Dow Diamond. Cameron Wagoner (1-7, 7.93) is scheduled to start for the Timber Rattlers. Great Lakes has named Ronan Kopp (0-2, 2.12) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:05pm CDT.
