ABOUT WEDNESDAY: The Rattlers beat the Peoria Chiefs 5-1 on Wednesday afternoon. Marwin Vega pitched a career high 6-2/3 innings and allowed only a first inning run for his second win of the season. Curtis Ledbetter drove in a pair of runs to lead the Rattler offense. The win kept the Rattlers from being swept by the Chiefs in the three-game series. Wisconsin completed their seven game homestand to open the second half at 2-5.
BACK ON TRACK: In his last three starts for Wisconsin, Vega did not make it out of the third inning before yesterday. The start prior to the win against the Chiefs was a 2-1/3 inning performance in which Vega threw 88 pitches.
MEN OF QUALITY: Four of the last five Timber Rattler starting pitchers have all tossed a quality start. Paul Fagan allowed one run in a complete game victory over the Kane County Cougars on June 24. Ruben Flores took a loss despite giving up two runs over seven innings to the Chiefs on June 26. Jose Escalona had a no decision after tossing six shutout innings against the Chiefs on June 27. Then came Vega’s start yesterday.
STAY HOT: Johan Limonta extended his hitting streak to five games with a first inning single yesterday. Limonta had gone hitless in his first nine at bats as a Rattler before singling in his final at bat of the game on June 24. He is 6-for-18 during the streak.
WAKING UP THE BATS: Yesterday was the first time the Rattlers have scored more than four runs in a game at home this half. The last time the Rattlers tallied more than four in a game at Fox Cities Stadium was when they beat Kane County 6-2 on June 7 in the second game of a doubleheader.
K-MEN: The Rattler pitching staff racked up thirty-three strikeouts during the three-game series against Peoria.
ROSTER MOVE: Rattler reliever Rollie Gibson was sent to the Everett AquaSox, the Northwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, today. There has been no corresponding move to replace Gibson yet, but that will happen tomorrow.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The West Michigan Whitecaps are the Midwest League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They were the first half eastern Division Champions with a record of 41-26. They have started their second half with a record of 5-2. IN their most recent series, the Caps dropped two out of three games to the South Bend Silver Hawks at Fifth Third Ballpark. West Michigan has the lowest team ERA in the Midwest League with a 2.71 for their itching staff. They are the only MWL team with an ERA under 3.00.
VS. WEST MICHIGAN IN ’06: The Rattlers went 1-3 in a four game series against the Whitecaps earlier this season. The Caps won a 2-0 rain-shortened game on April 29. A rainout on April 30 meant the teams played a doubleheader on May 1. Wisconsin won the opener 9-4, but lost the nightcap 4-3. West Michigan won the final game of the series 10-2 on May 2.
PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA places four current Whitecaps on their Top 30 List of Tiger Prospects. Outfielder Cameron Maybin, the tenth overall selection in the 2005 draft, is rated #3 by BA. Infielder Mike Hollimon and pitcher Sendy Rodriguez are rated at #22 & #23. Outfielder Matt Joyce is ranked #27. The Whitecaps have nine members of the Tigers 2005 draft class. Maybin was a first rounder. Pitchers Anthony Clagget (11th), Burke Badenhop (18th), Erik Averill (20th), and Loren Fraser (33rd) were all picked last June. Also in the 2005 draft for the Tigers were Joyce (12th), Hollimon (16th), Mark Haske (23rd), and William Rhymes (27th).
OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Luke French was an 8th round pick of the Tigers out of Heritage High School in Littleton, Colorado in the 2004 draft. French joined the Whitecaps in early August last season and went 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in six starts. In his last start this season, French allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings at Community Field in Burlington on June 24th. He walked one and struck out one, but the Bees eventually won 2-1 in sixteen innings. French is making his first start against the Timber Rattlers and against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners tonight.
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