PEORIA, IL – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers received clutch hitting, clutch pitching, alert base running, and a big defensive play in a 4-1 victory over the Peoria Chiefs on Friday night at Dozer Park. The win pulled Wisconsin to with a game of the .500 mark.
Nick Kahle put the Rattlers (31-32) in front with an RBI double to score Carlos Rodríguez in the top of the second inning.
The Chiefs (23-41) tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on their first hit of the game. Pedro Pages hit a lead-off home run in the inning to even the score.
They nearly took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Peoria had runners at first and second with two outs against starting pitcher Justin Bullock. Jhon Torres sent a soft liner to shallow center, but second baseman Hayden Cantrelle raced to the ball and snared it out of the air with a backhanded grab and held on for the final out as he tumbled to the ground.
Wisconsin took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Thomas Dillard singled with one out and was still at first with two away. He was running on the first pitch to Je’Von Ward and Ward sliced a hit down the line in left. The throw went into second and Dillard never stopped running. Ward stopped short of second and got caught in a rundown long enough to let Dillard score the go-ahead run.
Peoria threatened again in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Nash Walters. Leandro Cedeno doubled off the wall in left-center with one out. Then, a walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases. Walters struck out Tyler Reichenborn for the second out. Taylor Floyd was called out of the bullpen to get the final out of the inning and he got it by striking out Francisco Hernandez to keep Wisconsin up 2-1.
Dillard delivered a pair of insurance runs for the Timber Rattlers in the top of the eighth inning. David Hamilton walked and stole second to start the inning. Dillard hit a towering fly ball to left with one out and the ball landed on the grass berm beyond the wall for a two-run homer and a 4-1 lead. The home run was Dillard’s eleventh of the season.
Floyd worked 2-1/3 innings, walked one, and struck out seven before turning the game over to Evan Reifert for the ninth inning.
Reifert tossed a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.
Game five of the series at Dozer Park is scheduled for Saturday night. The Timber Rattlers have not announced their starter for Saturday's game. Peoria sends Connor Lunn (3-5, 5.25) to the mound.
