(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Peoria Chiefs held the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to two hits in a 6-0 victory at Neuroscience Group Field in game one of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Peoria (22-24) grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. The first two batters reached on an error and a walk. Cameron Nickens knocked in the first run with a single. Won-Bin Cho made it 3-0 with a two-run triple off the wall in center.
Jack Gurevitch hit a lead-off home run in the top of the fifth to expand the Peoria advantage. Cade McGee added a two-run homer with one out in the fifth.
Wisconsin (23-20) had numerous baserunners throughout the six innings tossed by Chiefs starting pitcher Ty Van Dyke, who allowed two hits, walked five, and hit a batter. However, Van Dyke got the Timber Rattlers to hit into five double plays in five consecutive innings, including inning-ending twin killings in the second, third, fourth, and fifth. Van Dyke, in his second start for the Chief since his promotion to the Midwest League, also got a 6-3 double play after issuing a lead-off walk in the sixth. He needed just 75 pitches while recording one strikeout in the game.
Luis Peña made his return to the Wisconsin lineup for the first time since April 22 when he was activated from the Rattlers injured list prior to the game. He was 0-for-2 with a walk.
The Chiefs win was their sixth in a row.
Game Two
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers raced out to an early lead and got a key three-run homer late in the game to defeat the Peoria Chiefs 12-7 in game two of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Neuroscience Group Field. Juan Baez drove in four runs and Luis Castillo, after a few adventures in the field, delivered a that big home run in the sixth.
The Timber Rattlers (24-20) sent ten men to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and knocked Peoria starting pitcher Nate Dohm out of the game.
Josiah Ragsdale started the rally with a lead-off single with Marco Dinges following with a walk. Andrew Fischer delivered a single to right that was overrun by Luis Pino to allow Ragsdale to score. A poor throw into third let Fischer wind up at second base. A walk to Josh Adamczewski loaded the bases.
Tayden Hall made it 3-0 with a one-out, two-run single to right. Baez doubled to score Adamczewski for a 4-0 lead that forced the Chiefs to call in Ruben Menes from the Peoria bullpen.
Luiyin Alastre greeted Menes with a sacrifice fly to score Hall. Blayberg Diaz, the ninth Rattler to hit in the inning, made it 6-0 with a broken-bat bloop single to right to send Baez home.
Peoria (22-25) bounced back in the top of the second with back-to-back homers by Tre Richardson III and Sammy Hernandez off Braylon Owens.
Richardson and Hernandez started the Chiefs rally in the top of the fourth. Richardson single, stole second, and stole third. Hernandez doubled to right-center to drive in Richardson. A flyball to right off the bat of Christian Martin was lost in the sun for a double to put two runners in scoring position. Jose Cordoba brought the Chiefs to within a run on a two-run double to left.
Wisconsin pushed their lead back to four runs with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Adamczewski and Castillo singled with two outs and Hall drew a walk against Jose Davila. Juan Baez cracked a double high off the wall in left to score all three runners for a 9-5 lead.
The Chiefs, winners of six straight games heading into the nightcap of the twinbill, strung together a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. Luis Pino singled with two out and none on against Quiton Low. Richardson looked like he made the final out on a fly ball to right. However, the ball was lost in the sun again and Richardson wound up on third with an RBI triple. Hernandez kept the ball rolling for Peoria with an RBI single to knock in Richardson.
Castillo redeemed himself in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run home run to right for a 12-7 lead.
Garrett Hodges, who had worked a perfect sixth inning, went back out of the seventh and his first Midwest League save. Hodges walked three and struck out three to close out the game and earn the split in the doubleheader.
Game four of the series is Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field. Josh Knoth (0-0, 4.50) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Peoria will go with Tanner Franklin (1-1, 3.31) as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm CDT.
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