The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a 2-0 lead heading into the eighth inning on Thursday night against the Quad Cities River Bandits at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Bandits cut the lead to a single run heading into the ninth, but Wisconsin was one out away from their third win in a row. Then, River Town drove in two runs with a two-out single to send Quad Cities to a 3-2 win.
Ben Metzinger put the Timber Rattlers (24-27 second half, 50-65 overall) in front with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the second inning.
Alexander Cornielle kept the River Bandits off the scoreboard in his five innings of work. The righty allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out seven while protecting that 2-0 lead. Cornielle’s performance also put him in line for his first win of the season.
Quad Cities (51-66, 19-32) had a threat in the sixth inning against reliever Joe Hernandez as they loaded the bases on a lead-off walk, a one-out single, and a two-out, walk. Hernandez got the final out on a popup to maintain the two-run cushion.
Carter Jensen hit a two-out, solo home run off Hernandez in the eighth inning to get the River Bandits on the scoreboard.
Nick Merkel relieved Hernandez and retired Kale Emshoff for the final out on a terrific diving catch by Luis Lara in center.
Merkel got the first out in the top of the ninth before giving up a double to Eric Kennedy. Manager Joe Ayrault made the call to the bullpen for Shane Smith to try to close out the game.
Smith walked the first batter he faced to put the go-ahead run on base. Justin Johnson was next, and he sent a slow grounder to Smith, who tried to get the force out at second. The throw was low and got by second baseman Mike Boeve to load the bases with one out.
Metzinger recorded the second out of the inning when he corralled a line drive off the bat of .Dustin Dickerson to get the Rattlers one out from victory.
River Town denied the Rattlers the win when he lined a 1-1 pitch from Smith to left to score two runs for a 3-2 lead.
The Timber Rattlers went down in order in the bottom of the ninth to take a loss that really hurt their playoff chances.
The Peoria Chiefs, the team that currently holds the West Division playoff spot in the second half, had a ninth inning rally of their own on Thursday night as they scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to record a walkoff, 4-3 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps in Peoria. The loss dropped the Timber Rattlers five games behind the Chiefs with fifteen games left in the season.
Wisconsin’s offense had five hits in the game with five walks and a hit batsman, but stranded ten runners as they went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the game.
Game four of the series between Wisconsin and Quad Cities is Friday night. Julio Teherán of the Milwaukee Brewers is scheduled to make a rehabilitation start for the Timber Rattlers. The River Bandits have named Ben Kudrna (0-3, 6.00) as their starter. Game time is 6:40pm CDT.
