ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Kane County Cougars beat the Timber Rattlers 3-2. A two-run homer by Anthony Recker in the top of the sixth inning put the Cougars up 2-1. Cougar starting pitcher Jared Lansford beat the Timber Rattlers for the third time this season.
LANSFORD RULES: The Rattlers scored one unearned run against Lansford in six innings last night. In nineteen innings against Wisconsin, Lansford has allowed eight hits and that one unearned run.
RECKING CREW: Recker’s home run was his third against the Rattlers this season. He has five home runs total in 2006.
WALKING ON THE EDGE: Rattler starting pitcher Harold Williams walked six Cougars in 5+ innings of work. He walked the first batter of the first, second, and fourth innings, but kept Kane County off the scoreboard. But, in the sixth, he walked the lead-off batter and Recker followed with the homer.
INTO THE SIXTH: Williams pitched into the sixth inning as a starting pitcher for the first time as a Rattler, but did not retire any of the three batters he faced in the inning. Five innings is a career high that Williams has reached twelve times.
QUINTUPLE YOUR FUN: Both the Rattlers and the Cougars used five pitchers in last night’s game.
GETTING BACK IN THE GROOVE: Rattler reliever Edgar Guaramato struck out all five batters he faced last night.
FIRST HALF AT HOME: Last night, the Rattlers completed their home schedule for the first half. Wisconsin was 13-21 at Fox Cities Stadium. In nine series on their home field, the Rattlers were swept once, lost five others, and split two. The Rattlers only won one series at home in the first half, a four game sweep of Clinton.
OUT ON THE ROAD: This is the beginning of a 9-game, nine day trip for Wisconsin. After the four game series with the Lugnuts, the Rattlers wrap up the first half with a five game series with the Swing of the Quad Cities.
HEAD EAST: Wisconsin is 9-11 against foes from the Eastern Division. That includes a 5-3 record on the road. Wisconsin spilt a four game series at South Bend and was 3-1 at Fort Wayne.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Lansing Lugnuts are the Midwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They are 36-24 and in second place in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League. Lansing is a ½ game behind the first place West Michigan Whitecaps. In their most recent series, the Lugnuts split four games with the Dayton Dragons at Oldsmobile Park. The Lugnuts have twelve players who played at least a part of the 2005 season for Lansing.
VS. LANSING IN ’05: The Timber Rattlers and Lugnuts met eight times in 2005. Lansing won the season series 5-3. The teams split four games at Lansing and the Lugnuts were 3-1 at Fox Cities Stadium.
PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA’S Top 30 list of Blue Jays prospects includes four members of the Lugnuts. Pitcher Chi-Hung Cheng is the highest rated Lugnut at #14. Outfielders Brian Pettway (#19), Yuber Rodriguez (#25), and Jacob Butler (#29) are all on the list. There are eight members of the 2005 Blue Jay draft class on the Lugnut roster. Pettway was a third round pick out of Ole Miss. Catcher Josh Bell was a sixth round pick out of Auburn. Butler was Toronto’s eighth round selection out of Nevada. Pitcher Paul Phillips was a ninth rounder from Oakland (MI) University. Other Blue Jay picks from last year’s draft were: Billy Carnline (12th), Anthony Hatch (13th), Sean Stidfole (14th), and Sean Shoffit (15th)
OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Chi-Hung Chen was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2003 by the Blue Jays. He pitched for the Little League World Series Championship from Taiwan in 1996. This is his second tour of duty with the Lugnuts. He went 7-6 with a 3.15 ERA in 2005 for Lansing with 142 strikeouts in 137 innings pitched. He faced the Timber Rattlers once last year and got a no decision. On August 19 at Fox Cities Stadium, he allowed eight runs on nine hits over 4-2/3 innings. The Rattlers would win the game 12-9. Cheng lost his last start. The South Bend Silver Hawks got to him for four runs on six hits over 5-1/3 innings at Coveleski Stadium on June 5. The Hawks beat the Lugnuts 5-1.
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