ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Todd Blackford pitched seven scoreless innings and the Peoria Chiefs beat the Timber Rattlers 3-1. Blackford gave up three hits, walked two, and struck out two.
BLACK WATCH: Blackford is 2-0 in two starts against the Rattlers this season. In twelve innings against Wisconsin, he has not allowed a run.
PERSONAL BEST: Rattler starter Ruben Flores struck out ten Chief batters to set a career high in strikeouts. Flores set his previous career best two years earlier – June 26, 2004 – with eight strikeouts.
TOUGH LOSS: Flores allowed two runs on seven hits to see his record fall to 1-6.
THE BATS ARE SILENT: Blackford retired fourteen of the final fifteen batters he faced last night. He did not give up a hit after the third inning. In the first five games of the second half, Wisconsin is hitting .182 and has scored eight runs.
LOST ON THE BASES: The Rattlers had four runners thrown out on the bases last night. Kevin Reynolds was caught trying to steal second in the first inning. Also in the first, Luis Valbuena was out trying to swipe the plate on the back end of a double steal. Michael Saunders got trapped off third on a groundball back to the mound in the bottom of the third. Robby Hudson was caught trying to go from first to third on a grounder toward right that Robinson Chirinos made a great stop to keep on the infield.
TRIPLE TIME: Curtis Ledbetter tripled to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning. It was his third triple in 29 games with the Rattlers.
MULTI-BALL: Hudson had the only multi-hit game for the Rattlers last night by going 2-for-4 and he drove in the only Rattler run.
MEET THE WEST: The Rattlers are 18-33 in games against teams from the Western Division. At home, Wisconsin is just 10-17 in games against their own division.
SEASON LOW: The Rattlers have reached nineteen games under .500 (28-47) for the first time this season. The last time the Rattlers were nineteen games under .500 was on August 31, 2004 after a loss to the Peoria Chiefs dropped them to 57-76. The Rattlers did not win another game that season and finished the year at 57-82.
OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Wade Miller makes his second rehab start for the Chiefs this season. His last time out, Miller pitched three scoreless innings against the Swing of the Quad Cities and gave up three hits with a walk and three strikeouts on June 22. Miller was originally a 20th round pick of the Houston Astros in the 1996 draft out of Alvernia (PA) college. Miller pitched for the Quad City River Bandits in 1997 and was 5-3 with a 3.36ERA. He has pitched for the Astros and Boston Red Sox compiling a 62-43 record in 139 major league starts. He signed with the Cubs organization on January 23, 2006.
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