An early Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lead was washed away by the Great Lakes Loons on Friday night at Dow Diamond. Great Lakes collected fifteen hits on the way to a 13-4 victory.
Andrew Fischer gave the Timber Rattlers (22-18) a 2-0 lead three batters into the game with two-run home run to right-center. Fischer has twelve homers and thirty RBI this season.
The Loons (27-15) got a run in the bottom of the first against Josh Knoth. Chuck Davalan walked and moved to second on a ground out. Davalan would steal third and score on a throwing error on the play.
Knoth, in his first start as a Timber Rattler, pitched a scoreless second inning before leaving the game. Knoth, who missed the 2025 season with an injury, joined the Timber Rattlers on Thursday after three rehabilitation starts in the Arizona Complex League to begin his season.
Great Lakes took the lead in the bottom of the third against reliever Garrett Hughes. A two-run single by Kole Myers put the Loons up 3-2.
Wisconsin had runners at first and third with one out in the top of the fourth. Luis Castillo hit the ball hard, but the line drive was right at first baseman Jose Hernandez, who caught the ball and stepped on first to double up the runner for an inning-ending double play.
Travis Smith took over in the fourth and allowed three runs. Davalan drove in a run with a single and Jose Meza made it 6-2 with a two-out, two-run single
In the fifth, the Loons sent ten men to the plate, scored five runs, and took control of the game. Smith retired the first batter of the inning. The next three Loons reached on two singles and a walk. Then, Davalan cleared the bases with a three-run double. A single and another walk loaded the bases. Smith walked Meza to force in a run and end his night.
Jack Seppings, the Rattlers fourth pitcher of the game, took over for Smith and got the second out of the inning on a weak grounder to second that scored a run for an 11-2 Great Lakes lead.
Jose Hernandez, who had three hits and finished a triple shy of the cycle, drove in the final runs of the game for Great Lakes with two-run home run in the sixth. Seppings struck out four over the final 3-2/3 innings.
The Rattlers scored their final runs of the night on a two-run double by Josh Adamczewski in the eighth inning.
Davalan reached base four times, scored four runs, drove in four runs, and stole two bases from the lead-off spot for the Loons. Great Lakes
Ragsdale went 3-for-5 and scored two runs for Wisconsin. Adamczewski walked twice, stole a base, and drove in two runs.
Game five of the series is Saturday night at Dow Diamond. Ethan Dorchies (1-4, 7.62) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Brooks Auger (0-0, 0.77) is set to start for the Loons. Game time is 5:35pm CDT.
