The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cracked thirteen hits and drew ten walks to cruise to a 9-2 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Wednesday night at Rise 2 Greatness Field. Wisconsin’s win allowed them to pick up ground in the second-half West Division playoff race in the Midwest League.
The Timber Rattlers (22-22 second half, 48-60 overall) took the lead in the top of the second inning. Mike Boeve and Robert Moore both singled to open the inning, but they were still at first and second with two outs. Darrien Miller delivered Boeve across the plate with a two-out single for a 1-0 lead. Ben Metzinger followed with an RBI single to score Moore for a 2-0 advantage.
Nick Cossetti cut Wisconsin’s lead in half with a one-out, solo home run in the bottom the fourth inning. That homer was the 110th of the season for the Kernels (27-17, 67-43).
Wisconsin responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Miller started the inning with a double and Metzinger walked. Luis Lara singled to left to score Miller and knock Christian MacLeod, the Kernels starting pitcher, out of the game.
Niklas Rimmel took over for MacLeod and walked Jesse Winker to load the bases. Rimmel walked Brock Wilken to force in a run. Boeve followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1 in favor of Wisconsin.
The Rattlers poured on the offense in the sixth inning as they sent nine men to the plate and scored four runs. Metzinger and Winker had RBI doubles with Boeve adding a two-run single for a 9-1 lead.
Wagoner turned that lead over to Stiven Cruz for the bottom of the sixth inning. Wagoner continued his hot August. In three games – two starts, Wagoner has allowed three runs, walked four, and struck out seventeen over 14-2/32 innings. Wagoner has also won his last four decisions.
Cruz worked into and out of trouble a few times in his first three innings of relief. He retired the first two batters in the ninth on strikeouts before giving up a solo homer to Jeferson Morales. Cruz got the final out on a grounder to short. He struck out five, walked two, and earned his first professional save by working the final four innings.
Metzinger and Moore both reached base five times in the game to lead the offense. Moore walked three times, had two singles, and scored a run. Metzinger also walked three times, doubled, singled, scored two runs, and knocked in two runs. Lara added his first multi-hit game with the Rattlers, scored twice, drove in a run, and made a highlight reel catch in center in the bottom of the seventh.
Winker, in his second rehabilitation start for the Milwaukee Brewers, was the designated hitter for the Rattlers on Wednesday. He was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Winker was 2-for-6 with the Rattlers in the series.
In the playoff chase, the Peoria Chiefs were swept in a doubleheader at Lake County and the Beloit Sky Carp shutout Quad Cities. The Timber Rattlers and Sky Carp both picked up 1-1/2 games on the Chiefs in the pennant chase and trail Peoria by three games with 22 games left in the season.
Game three of the series between Wisconsin and Cedar Rapids is Thursday night at Rise 2 Greatness Field. Alexander Cornielle (0-2, 5.18) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. The Kernels have named Andrew Morris (2-1, 2.81) as their starter. Game time is 6:35pm.
