(TIMBER RATTLERS) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers trailed 3-0 before they got their offense going on Wednesday night against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The visitors scraped single runs across the plate in the seventh and ninth innings, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 3-2 to Cedar Rapids.
Wisconsin (5-12) had the first hit of the game on a one-out single by Juan Baez in the second inning, but he was erased on a double play to end the inning. Cedar Rapids pitchers Ty Langenberg and Logan Whitaker combined to face the minimum through six innings as they kept the Rattlers off the scoreboard.
The Kernels (11-5) broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. Khadim Diaw drew a walk and stole second to start the inning. A one-out wild pitch by Ryan Birchard allowed Diaw to take third. A wild throw by catcher David Garcia on the play let Diaw score for the 1-0 lead.
Birchard went five innings, allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five as the Rattlers starting pitcher.
Cedar Rapids added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Anthony Flores. The Kernels loaded the bases on a leadoff single with another single and a walk coming after one out. Flores got the second out on a strikeout. Then, Danny De Andrade doubled to right to score two runs for a 3-0 lead.
A rain delay halted play for 88 minutes after the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Timber Rattlers (5-12) were ready on the restart as Eduardo Garcia walked and Jadher Areinamo doubled to open the seventh against reliever Wilker Reyes. Matt Wood drove in Garcia with a grounder to second.
In the top of the ninth, Garcia reached on an infield single, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch by Jacob Wosinski. Areinamo cut the deficit to one run with a grounder to second. Unfortunately, that was also the second out of the inning. Wosinski ended the ninth and the game with a strikeout.
Wednesday’s game was the eighth time in seventeen games this season in which Wisconsin has scored two or fewer runs this season. They are 1-7 when that happens.
Game three of the series is set for Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Chandler Welch (0-1, 4.50) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Chase Cheney will make his 2025 Midwest League debut as the starter for the Kernels. Game time is 6:35pm.
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