Game Notes for 8/24

ABOUT MONDAY: The Rattlers rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to defeat the Dayton Dragons 5-4 at Fifth Third Field. Paul Fagan got the win and Brian Kappel worked the final 1-1/3 innings for the save. Johan Limonta homered and drove in three runs for Wisconsin. Adam Moore blasted an opposite field home run to right in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS: Fagan walked the first batter in the bottom of the first inning on four pitches. The next five batters in the Dayton order reached base on four singles and a double to go up 4-0. Fagan got a 6-4-3 double play and a ground out against the next two batters to get out of the inning with no further damage. For the rest of his 7-2/3 inning outing Fagan gave up three hits, walked one, and struck out eight for the win.

DEEP SIX: Kappel is now 6-for-6 in save opportunities since joining the Rattlers. He retired all four batters he faced on Monday night. Kappel was 5-for-5 in save opportunities for the Everett AquaSox before being promoted to the Rattlers.

COMING TO GET YOU: Limonta started the Rattler comeback with a two-run single in the top of the third inning. Limonta tied the game with a solo home run in the fifth inning.

CH-CH-CHANGES: Two members of the Timber Rattlers were placed on the disabled list since Monday. Pitcher Nick Allen, who left his start on Sunday in Dayton in the bottom of the third inning, was put on the DL. Outfielder Kuo Hui Lo, who left Monday’s game in the bottom of the first inning, went on the DL today.

MEET THE NEW GUY: Pitcher Andy Barb joins the Rattlers today. He started the season in the Philadelphia Phillies organization at Lakewood of the South Atlantic League. Barb was a 40th round pick of the Phillies out of Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington in the 2003 draft. He signed with the Phillies before the 2004 draft after a season at Kirkwood (IA) Community College. Barb is a converted catcher and did not begin pitching full-time until 2004. He was 6-2 with eighteen saves with a 2.23ERA for Lakewood this season before coming to the Mariner system in a trade that sent Jamie Moyer to the Phillies.

MEET THE OTHER NEW GUY: Outfielder Alex Liddi joins the Rattlers today as well. Liddi was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2005 out of Italy and made his pro debut with the AZL Mariners where he hit .313 with three homers and 25 RBI in 47 games.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are currently 42-85 overall. In the second half, the LumberKings are 19-39 and in eight place in the Midwest League Western Division. They trail the Rattlers by one game for seventh place. Clinton has been eliminated from playoff contention for the 2006 season.

VS. CLINTON ’06: The Rattlers are 4-0 against the LumberKings this season. Wisconsin swept a four game series from the LumberKings at Fox Cities Stadium June 2-5.

PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA’s Top 30 list of Ranger prospects has four current LumberKings on it. Outfielder John Mayberry and infielder Jason Whittleman are listed at number ten and number eleven. Infielder Jose Poveda is rated at number twenty. Pitcher Omar Poveda is ranked #29. The LumberKings have two members of the 2006 Texas Ranger draft class on their roster. Outfielder Grant Gerrard was a seventh round pick out of Southern Illinois. Pitcher Jon Hollis was a 38th round pick out of Yale.

MWL VETERAN: Relief pitcher Joey McLaughlin started this season with the Lansing Lugnuts in the Toronto Blue Jay organization, but was traded to the Ranger organization for Triple-A infielder Tim Olson on July 2.

OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER: Omar Poveda was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Rangers out of Venezuela in 2004. The Rattlers beat Poveda at Fox Cities Stadium on June 4. Poveda struck out seven over 5-1/3 innings, but allowed six runs on seven hits. Poveda lost his last start, an August 17 outing against Cedar Rapids. In that game, Poveda allowed eight runs on fourteen hits over five innings. Poveda made an emergency start for Frisco in the Texas League on July 22 and lost to San Antonio, the Mariner Double-A affiliate. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and five walks over five innings in that start.