ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers defeated the Burlington Bees 6-4. Juan Beltran belted a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie. Andrew Barb pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
BELTRAN’S BLAST: The Rattler catcher hit his first home run of the season last night to cap a 3-for-3 night. The homer for Beltran was his first since July 23, 2006 when he hit one for the Arizona League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Beltran reached base four times last night. He singled, doubled, and was hit by a pitch in his other three plate appearances.
HOT AND COLD: Tom Ellis made his first start as a Timber Rattler last night. He worked three innings. Ellis did not allow a run in his first two innings, but in the third, he gave up three runs on four hits. Brady Everett hit a two-run homer in the third to put the Bees in front 3-0. Ellis has given up one home run in each of his last four appearances with Wisconsin. Ellis allowed six hits and struck out three in his start.
ADVENTURES IN BASE RUNNING: Five Burlington Bees were thrown out on the bases last night. In the second inning, Kurt Mertins was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third on a grounder to third for the first out and Jeff Howell was picked off first by Beltran for the second out. In the third inning, Jesus Soto was thrown out by Leury Bonilla trying to stretch a single into a double. In the fourth, Jamar Walton tried to score from third on a pitch that got away from Beltran, but Walton was tagged out by pitcher Rollie Gibson. Beltran threw out Luis Castillo trying to steal in the eighth inning.
DECISION DAY: Barb picked up his first win since the second game of a double header on May 13 with his performance last night. Barb made his second appearance since coming off the disabled list last night.
SPLITSVILLE: The Timber Rattlers earned a split in their four game series with the Bees by winning the final two games of the series at Community Field.
TWENTY: In their last 20 games, Wisconsin is 11-9.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are 26-37 in the second half of the season, but are in the Midwest League playoffs as the first wild card in the Western Division. The LumberKings are 67-63 overall. Clinton is coming off a four game series at Kane County in which they were 1-3. The manager of the LumberKings is Mike Micucci.
THE SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 2-2 against the Clinton LumberKings this season. All four games were played at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. This is the first time Wisconsin is at Alliant Energy Field this season.
COMPARE & CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .246 as a team (T-11th in the Midwest League). The LumberKings are hitting .248 (10th) as team. Wisconsin has scored 519 runs (12th) and Clinton has tallied 567 runs (7th). The Rattlers have 65 homers (13th) while Clinton has hit 73 (10th). Wisconsin’s team ERA is 4.08 (10th). Clinton’s pitchers have an ERA of 3.56 (6th).
PROSPECTING: BASEBALL AMERICA places three members of the current Clinton roster on their list of top thirty prospects in the Ranger organization. Pitcher Kasey Kiker, the first round pick of Texas in 2006, is rated seventh. Shortstop Marcus Lemon, the son of former major leaguer Chet Lemon, is ranked twelfth. Second baseman Jose Vallejo is rated 29th.
OUT OF THE DRAFT: The LumberKings have two members of the 2007 Texas draft class on their active roster. Pitchers Evan Reed (3rd round) and Josh Lueke (16th round) are both on the roster.
CLINTON STARTER: Evan Reed was the 3rd round pick of the Texas Rangers in the 2007 draft out of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. He was 4-3 with 11 saves in 32 appearances (all in relief) for the Mustangs before signing with the Rangers. Reed started his professional career with Spokane in the Northwest League and appeared in seven games (four starts) with no record, one save, and an ERA of 2.04. Reed is making his first appearance against the Rattlers, but he made his first pro start against Everett, Seattle’s Northwest League affiliate, on July 25 with six strikeouts over three hitless, scoreless innings. In his last start for the LumberKings, Reed went five innings against Quad Cities on August 22 for a no decision. He allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout.
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