(WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS) PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers formula remained simple in Wednesday’s 7-3 win over the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park. Get a fast start from the offense, a solid start from their pitcher, key defensive plays when needed, and a few big pitches from their bullpen. They even added to the mix with unexpected contributions from the latest player added from the Wilson Warbirds.
Yannic Walther, the newest Timber Rattler jumped into the lineup and gave Wisconsin (43-29 overall, 9-1 second half) the lead in his first at bat. Walther, who was called up to Wisconsin from the Carolina League by the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, got the start behind the plate on Wednesday. He cranked a lead-off homer to center in the top of the third. That was just the start of his evening.
Daniel Dickinson doubled the lead with a one-out, solo homer to the berm in left-center later in the inning.
Wisconsin doubled their lead again in the third inning with two more runs. Daniel Guilarte tripled off the wall in center to start the frame. Luiyin Alastre singled to knock in Guilarte. Walther drew a walk with two outs and none on to extend the inning to Braylon Payne, who promptly extended his hitting streak to thirteen games with a double to center that scored Walther from first for a 4-0 advantage.
Luis Castillo crushed a lead-off homer to right, his eighth home run of the season, in the fifth to pad the lead.
In the sixth, Walther was at the plate with Tyler Rodriguez at third. Walther punched a single through the right side of the infield to get Rodriguez home for a 6-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Ethan Dorchies was in command through the first five innings. He allowed two hits and one other base runner on an error, but he had faced one over the minimum thanks to a pair of double plays turned by his infield.
Peoria (36-40, 4-6) got to the Rattler right-hander in the sixth. A single and a walk to the eight and nine hitters in the order set up the inning. Dorchies got the first out on a strikeout. Then, Jack Gurevitch singled to score a run. The throw to third was late and Gurevitch wound up at second. Dorchies put out the fire with a popup to shallow center and a flyout to right and Wisconsin’s lead was 6-1 after six.
Dorchies walked one, struck out second and allowed four hits as he picked up his second straight quality start and second straight win. In his last two outings, Dorchies has allowed two runs and two walks with ten strikeouts over thirteen innings.
The Chiefs crept closer in the sixth inning against reliever Peyton Niksch. A hit batsman and a double put runners at second and third. A grounder to the left side of the bat of Cameron Nickens was misplayed by Guilarte and two runs scored. Niksch escaped the inning on a strike-‘em out/throw-‘em out double play to end the inning as he got Anyelo Encarnaciόn to swing and miss while Walther threw out Nickens at second to end the frame.
Dickinson drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the eighth for a Wisconsin insurance run.
Niksch struck out a pair and Walther threw out another runner trying to steal for a scoreless eighth. Michael Fowler pitched around a one-out double in the ninth to close out the game.
Walther went 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, two RBI, and caught two Chiefs trying to steal second in his first game in the Midwest League. The
Timber Rattlers at 9-1 through ten games are off to the best start of a half in team history.
Game three of the series is Thursday night at Dozer Park. Daniel Corniel (0-0, 0.00) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Ty Van Dyke (2-2, 4.44) is set to start for the Chiefs. Game time is 6:35pm.
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