Game Notes --7/17

LAST ACTION: The Lansing Lugnuts beat the Timber Rattlers 6-2 on Sunday afternoon. Wisconsin starter Anthony Varvaro allowed three first inning runs on one hit. There was a passed ball, two errors, and two walks in the inning. The lone hit of the frame was an RBI triple by Sean Shoffit. Wisconsin got to within 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. But, Shoffit singled in a run in the bottom of the eighth inning and Jonathan Diaz knocked in two more with another single for the winning margin.

ONE AND ONLY: After the rough first inning, Varvaro did not allow another hit over his five innings of work. Varvaro gave up one more walk and struck out a total of three in the start.

WELCOME BACK: Wisconsin pitcher Tony Butler made his first appearance since June 5 when he pitched two innings of relief on Sunday. Butler hit one, walked one, and struck out one without allowing a hit or a run against the Lugnuts.

NEW HIGH: Reed Eastley doubled in the first inning on Sunday. That hit extended his season high hitting streak to seven games. He is 9-for-25 during the streak.

MATCHING A HIGH: Alex Liddi doubled in the third inning on Sunday. That hit gave him his third five-game hitting streak of the season. Liddi is 9-for-19 during this most recent hitting streak.

A DIFFERENT STREAK: The Rattlers have lost eight straight games. After winning the first four games in July, the Rattlers have lost their last eight. Wisconsin last win was in game two of a double header against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on July 4.

BUT: The Rattlers have had leads in five of those eight losses.

DIRTY THIRTY: Wisconsin is 30-60 and is thirty games under .500 for the first time this season.

ROSTER MOVES: Ricky Orta, the scheduled starter for the Rattlers tonight, has been activated from the roster of the Peoria Mariners (Arizona League). To make room for Orta, Anthony Varvaro has been transferred to the AZL M’s roster.

HOME SOON: The Rattlers are 0-6 on their current road trip. They have this four game series at Beloit before returning home on Saturday night to host the South Bend Silver Hawks.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Beloit Snappers are the Midwest League affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are 11-11 in the second half of the season. The Snappers are 55-37 overall. The Snappers qualified for the playoffs in the first half as the Western Division Champions.

LEAGUE BEST: The Snappers have the best record in the Midwest League. They are a half game better than the 55-38 Dayton Dragons.

THE SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 1-3 against Beloit in 2007. Wisconsin split a pair of games on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium April 17 & 18. The Snappers won the opening game 5-2. The Rattlers won game two 3-2 in eleven innings. Beloit won the next two games of the home-and-home series at Pohlman Field on April 19 & 20. The Snappers won 3-2 and 8-3.

PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA put five members of the current Snapper roster on their list of top thirty prospects in the Minnesota organization. Chris Parmelee is the top rated Snapper on the list at number four. Joe Benson (#8) and Paul Kelley (#9) are both in the top ten. Pitchers Tyler Robertson (#24) and Alex Burnett (#28) are also on the list.

GOOD-BYE: Rob Delaney set the Beloit Snapper franchise record for saves in a season with 28 on July 7. He was promoted by the Twins to the Florida State League on July 11. Delaney appeared in one game against the Rattlers in a non-save situation earlier this season.

OPPOSING STARTER: Matt Fox was a supplemental first round pick (35th overall) of the Twins in the 2004 draft out of the University of Central Florida. He appeared in eight games (five starts) for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League in 2004, but missed all of 2005 with an injury. Fox went 4-0 with two saves in 20 games (one start) for Elizabethton in 2006. Fox joined the Snappers in late May and won his first five decisions. The Swing of the Quad Cities handed Fox his first Midwest League loss in his last start. Fox gave up eight runs on five hits with two walks and a hit batsman in just 1-2/3 innings on July 8. The Swing hit a pair of homers off Fox in that game at John O’Donnell Stadium. This is his first appearance against the Rattlers and his first appearance against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.