(TIMBER RATTLERS) SOUTH BEND, IN – Marco Dinges may be new to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, but he has made his presence known. In his first start at catcher for the Rattlers on Wednesday against the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field, Dinges, the fourth round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers from the 2024 draft, hit a two-run home run and showed off his arm with a key pickoff to help Wisconsin to a 3-1 win over the Cubs.
Dinges, who just joined the team from the Carolina Mudcats on Tuesday, pulled a key defensive play for the Rattlers in the bottom of the fifth inning. Wisconsin starting pitcher Anthony Flores had walked Ivan Brethowr and Cristian Hernandez with one out in the frame and left the game in favor Jeferson Figueroa.
Figueroa missed with a 1-0 pitch to Jefferson Rojas, but Dinges fired to first to pick off Hernandez for the second out, which was magnified when Figueroa walked Rojas. However, he was able to escape the jam by retiring the next hitter and keep the game scoreless, but not for long.
Wisconsin (18-23) broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Garcia reached on an error after a misplay on a grounder to second base. Dinges hit the next pitch to the seats beyond the wall in left field for his first Midwest League homer and a 2-0 lead. He had three homers and 27 RBI with Carolina before the promotion to the Rattlers.
South Bend (10-31) tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth. Edgar Alvarez hit a lead-off home run. Then, Figueroa walked Ariel Armas, who would steal second and third to be the tying run ninety feet from the plate with two outs. Figueroa struck out Reivaj Garcia to end the inning and maintain the lead.
The Rattlers had two outs and none on in the top of the seventh. Jadher Areinamo hit a ball to the gap in right-center field. Both center fielder Andy Garriola and Brethowr in right had a chance to catch the ball, but they collided and Areinamo raced for third for a triple. Eduardo Garcia was up next but started the at bat with an 0-1 count after the plate umpire ruled Garcia wasn’t ready in time and charged the Rattlers hitter with a pitch clock violation.
Garcia lined the first official pitch of the at bat for a single to knock in Areinamo for an insurance run.
Wisconsin’s bullpen closed out the game. Zach Peek pitched around two hits and a walk over two scoreless innings thanks to four strikeouts. Bayden Root worked a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Areinamo finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base for the Rattlers. Wisconsin has won two straight games over the Cubs.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at Four Winds Field. Tyson Hardin (3-1, 1.16) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. South Bend has named Erian Rodriguez as their starter. Rodriguez will be making his season debut with the Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm CDT.
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