(TIMBER RATTLERS) SOUTH BEND, IN – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers battled the South Bend Cubs, the weather, and themselves on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field. Wisconsin took a 6-0 lead after a 28-minute delay before the start of the game and watched it evaporate in one inning. Eduardo Garcia saved the day with a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning just before a band of rain moved through the area to end the game – after a much longer delay – in the top of the seventh to give the Rattlers a 7-6 victory.
The Timber Rattlers (17-23) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. walked and stole second with one out. Blake Burke punched a single through the left side of the infield to put runners on the corners. Marco Dinges, the fourth round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2024 draft, stepped to the plate for his first appearance with the Rattlers and drove in Garcia with a sacrifice fly to center.
Hedbert Pérez hit a lead-off home run to right in the top of the second to give the Rattlers a 2-0 lead. Pérez led the Rattlers in homers with five after that home run.
Wisconsin got some big two-out hits in the top of the fourth inning to put their advantage. Jadher Areinamo drove in the first run of the frame with a bad hop single over the shoulder of the third baseman. Garcia was next and he launched a three-run homer to left for a 6-0 lead. Garcia’s home run tied him with Pérez for the team lead in that category.
Patricio Aquino was the starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. He pitched three scoreless innings despite three walks and a hit batsman. Aquino helped himself by not allowing a hit and striking out four, including Andy Garriola with the bases loaded to end the third inning.
Dikember Sánchez was first up out of the Wisconsin bullpen and walked the lead-off batter in the bottom of the fourth but stranded that runner at third. He was not as fortunate in the fifth.
Sánchez walked the first two batters he faced in the fifth. That was followed by an RBI, bloop single by Cristian Hernandez. Another walk loaded the bases for Garriola again. This time, Garriola hit a 2-2 pitch from Sánchez to the seats in left for a grand slam and Wisconsin’s lead was down to one run.
Yerlin Rodriguez was called into the game to relieve Sánchez. He gave up a single to the first batter he faced. A wild pitch moved that runner to second base. Rodriguez retired the next two batters. Then, Brian Kalmer singled to left to drive in the tying run for South Bend (10-30).
Joe Nahas, South Bend’s second pitcher who had worked a scoreless fifth inning, retired the first batter he faced in the top of the sixth before the Cubs went back to the bullpen to bring Vince Reilly into the game.
Daniel Guilarte had walked his first two times up in the game. He made it three when Reilly missed on a 3-1 pitch. Guilarte stole second but was still there with two outs. Garcia delivered again for the Rattlers with a single to left on a 2-2 pitch to drive in Guilarte to put the Rattlers back in front.
Rodriguez was all business in the bottom of the sixth when he struck out the side in order.
Reilly went back out for the top of the seventh and threw one pitch for a ball to Dinges before the rain got too heavy to continue the game. The tarp went on the field to start the delay. The tarp would eventually be taken off the infield, but field conditions prevented the game from being restarted. The game was made official after a ninety minute delay.
Eduardo Garcia went 2-for-3 with two runs, four RBI, and two stolen bases on the evening.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Wednesday morning at Four Winds Field. Anthony Flores (0-2, 5.40) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Evan Aschenbeck (0-1, 4.82) is set to start for the Cubs. Game time is 10:05am CDT.
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