ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Justin Thomas pitched seven strong innings, Casey Craig homered, and Ron Garth drove in three runs as the Rattlers won 7-1 at Beloit. Wisconsin won 2-out-of-3 games in the series with their in-state rivals.
NO DOUBTING THOMAS: Last night’s starting pitcher for the Rattlers set a professional career high for innings pitched with seven and matched his pro high for strikeouts with six. Thomas has allowed two runs (one earned) over thirteen innings in his two starts as a Rattler.
TWIN KILLING: The only time Thomas was in jeopardy last night was in the bottom of the fourth. Edward Ovalle started the inning with a bunt single and Paul Kelly followed with another single to put runners at first and second. But, Thomas got Snapper cleanup hitter Henry Sanchez to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. Caleb Moore smacked an RBI double to send Ovalle home with Beloit’s first run. Then, Thomas got Erik Lis to strikeout for the final out of the inning.
CRAIG’S LIST: Craig hit a long home run to right field in the top of the fourth inning. Early in the season, Craig is tied for the Midwest League lead for RBI with eight on the year. Craig is 5-for-9 (.556) with seven RBI when there are runners in scoring position. He is 3-for-5 with five RBI and a homer with runners in scoring position and two out so far in ’06.
PARTY ON, GARTH: Garth gave Wisconsin a 4-0 lead with a two run double in the top of the fourth. Garth drove in three runs last night and five runs in the three game series with the Snappers.
FIRST TIME: The series win for the Rattlers over the Snappers was their first in a regular season series at Pohlman Field since July 31-August 2, 2002. Wisconsin had a winning record at Beloit (4-2) in six games in 2002. But, since then, the Rattlers lost two series and split four on the road with the Snappers for a record of 10-16 away from Fox Cities Stadium against Beloit.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the Midwest League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. They finished 2005 with a 65-75 record and missed the playoffs. Bobby Magallanes returns for his third season as manager of the Kernels. Cedar Rapids is 3-4 to start the 2006 season. They dropped three games in a four game series at Beloit to start the year, but bounced back with two wins in a three game series with Peoria at home. The Kernels have won two straight games.
VS. KERNELS IN ’05: The Timber Rattlers and Kernels split twelve games last season. Wisconsin was 5-3 against the Kernels at Fox Cities Stadium in 2005.
PROSPECTING: The Kernels have five members of BASEBALL AMERICA’S Top 30 Angel prospect list. Pitchers Nick Adenhardt (#6), Tommy Mendoza (#10), and Stephen Marek (#18) are joined by infielders Mark Trumbo (#12) and Hainley Statia (#16). The Kernels have eight members of the Angels 2005 draft class on their roster. Mendoza (5th round), Robert Moseback (9th), Brad Coon (15th), Jim West (18th), Dallas Morris (24th), Brok Butcher (25th), Tim Didjurgis (31st), and Flint Wipke (38th)
OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Kelly Shearer was a 14th round pick of the Angels in the 2003 draft out of Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas. In 2004 – his first pro season – Shearer split time with Mesa of the Arizona League and Provo of the Pioneer League. He went 2-3 in fifteen appearances (ten starts) and had an ERA of 3.34. Last season with Orem in the Pioneer League, he was 2-4 with a 3.62 ERA in fifteen games (thirteen starts). In his first start of 2006, Shearer pitched five innings and allowed one run on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts at Beloit on April 8. The lefty got a no decision in a 4-2 twelve inning win for the Kernels.
RE/MAX HOME RUNS: RE/MAX Valley Realtors will donate $25 to the Children’s Miracle Network for every Rattler home run in the 2006 regular season. The donation in 2005 was $2525. Casey Craig’s home run moves the total for 2006 to $125.
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