ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers defeated Clinton 9-6 for a four-game sweep of the LumberKings and fifth win in a row. Nick Prosise hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 6-5 Clinton lead and put the Rattlers up 7-6. Rollie Gibson, Edgar Guaramato, and Roman Martinez combined for 3-1/3 shutout innings out of the bullpen to allow for the comeback.
GET OUT THE BROOM: The Rattlers sweep of the LumberKings was their first four game sweep of an opponent at Fox Cities Stadium since the 2003 team won four games from the West Michigan Whitecaps May 31-June 2. The last time the Rattlers swept a for game series before their recent achievement against the LumberKings was May 23-26 at Kane County against the Cougars.
IT’S A STREAK: The Rattlers are on their longest winning streak this season. Wisconsin’s longest win streak last year was a six game run of victories from April 9 through April 15.
HOME COOKIN’: The Rattlers have also won four straight home games. This is the longest home winning streak for Wisconsin since they won five straight from July 27 through August 4 with three consecutive wins over Kane County and a pair of wins over South Bend.
SAVING THE DAY: Roman Martinez, who joined the Rattlers on June 1st, pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first save since he was a member of the Mariner’s Dominican Summer League team in 2002. He gave up a one out single and struck out a pair for the Rattlers last night.
KEEP ROLLING: Gibson retired all five batters he faced last night, including the first batter he faced. That makes two appearances in a row in which he has got the first batter he faced to make an out after not doing that in twelve straight games.
RBI GUY: Casey Craig homered last night in the third inning. Craig has driven in at least one run in each of his last eight games.
LATE BLAST: Wisconsin entered the eighth inning trailing the LumberKings 6-5. Prosise gave the Rattlers a 7-6 lead with his homer and Jeff Dominguez had a two-run double later in the inning. Wisconsin is now 3-23 when trailing after seven innings. The last time the Rattlers rallied to win after trailing going into the eighth was an 8-6 win at Kane County on May 27. The Rattlers scored three times in the top of the ninth for the victory.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are 35-22 and in first place in the Western Division with a four game lead on Peoria. In their most recent series, the Cougars took three out of four games from the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays at Elfstrom Stadium. Kane County has the best record in the Midwest League.
VS. KANE COUNTY IN ’06: The Timber Rattlers are 2-6 against the Cougars this season. All eight games in the series so far have been played at Elfstrom Stadium. In the most recent series, Kane County took three out of four games from the Rattlers May 25-28.
WELCOME BACK: This is Kane County’s first visit to Fox Cities Stadium since July of 2005. The Rattlers took three out of four games from the Cougars in that series.
PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA’S Top 30 list of Oakland prospects includes five members of the current Cougar roster. Pitchers Vince Mazzaro (#10), Jared Lansford (#12), and Jason Ray (#22) are joined on the list by infielders Justin Sellers (#17) and Jeff Baisley (#30). Craig Italiano, number eight on Oakland’s Top 30 list, is currently on the disabled list. The Cougars have thirteen members of Oakland’s 2005 draft class on their current roster, not including Italiano. Lansford (2nd) and Mazzaro (3rd) are the highest of the ’05 draftees. Also from last year’s class are: Sellers (6th), Ray (8th), Trey Shields (9th), John Herrera (10th), Steve Kleen (11th), Baisley (12th), Mike Massaro (13th), Isaac Omura (17th), Anthony Recker (18th), Ron Madej (26th), and TJ Franco (30th).
OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Jeff Gray was a 32nd round pick of the Athletics in 2004 out of Southwest Missouri State University. Last season Gray was 4-2 with a 2.51ERA for the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League. This is his third start against the Rattlers this season. Wisconsin beat him on May 16 at Elfstrom Stadium by getting four runs on six hits over six innings off the righty. He got a no decision against the Rattlers on May 27. Gray gave up five runs (four earned) over 5-1/3 innings, but left with a 6-5 lead. The Rattlers rallied for three runs in the ninth to beat the Cougars. In his last start for the Cougars, Gray allowed one run on five hits over seven innings for a no decision at Peoria on May 31st.
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