May 14 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Bees 6-4. Denny Almonte hit a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie. Edilio Colina and Maximo Mendez each had three hits to pace a 14-hit attack by the Rattler bats.

AUMONT UPDATE: Phillippe Aumont, Seattle’s first round pick in 2007, allowed two runs in the top of the eighth inning as the Bees tied the game 4-4 and was charged with a blown save. But, the right-hander picked up the win as the Rattlers scored twice in the bottom of the eighth and he worked a scoreless ninth. Aumont worked three innings and struck out three. The two runs allowed were the first two earned runs he has given up this season.

VERY SMALL BALL: The first three batters for Burlington in the top of the eighth inning bunted. The first two reached and the third was a sacrifice bunt.

*CLASH OF THE TITANS: Aumont, the 11th overall pick in the 2007 draft, faced Mike Moustakas, the 2nd overall pick in the ’07 draft, after the sacrifice bunt in the top of the eighth. Moustakas singled to center to drive in both runs.

HUME: Rattler starting pitcher Donnie Hume struck out seven over 5-1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He did not walk a batter in the start. Hume has walked 13 and struck out 40 over 35-2/3 innings this season.

ENDING THE DROUGHT: The home run by Almonte, his first as a professional, was the first Rattler homer of this homestand. It was the first homer at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium since April 28, a span of seven games. The longball was only the third home run at home for the Rattlers this season.

BACK AND FORTH: Colina gave the Rattlers a 1-0 lead in the third with a sacrifice fly. Burlington scored twice off Hume in the fifth. The Rattlers retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI double by Gavin Dickey and a run scoring wild pitch. Ron Garth singled home a run for a 4-2 lead in the seventh, but the Bees rallied to tie the game in the eighth. Almonte hit his homer with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Colina’s two-out RBI double later in the eighth provided the final run.

EVERYBODY HITS: Each Rattler in the starting lineup had at least one hit. The 14 hits was a new single game high for Wisconsin this season.

YER OUT! Rattler catcher Blake Ochoa threw out two of three would be Burlington base stealers last night. He has tossed out 10-of-18 (.555) would be base stealers this season.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Burlington Bees are the Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Last season, the Bees went 61-77 and missed the playoffs. Brian Rupp is in his first year as the manager of the Bees.

BEES IN 2008: The Bees are 15-21 and in seventh place in the Midwest League’s Western Division. They trail first place Clinton by 11 games. In their most recent series, the Bees were swept in a three game series at home by the Beloit Snappers. The final game of the series on Sunday was rained out.

GET FAMILIAR: The Rattlers and Bees will play 16 times this season. Eight on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium and eight at Community Field.

WATCH OUT FOR: Adrian Ortiz is hitting .331 and is currently fourth in the Midwest League batting race. Edward Cegarra only has a 1-3 record, but his in the top ten in ERA (1.93; 8th) and top ten in strikeouts (42; t-6th).

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .236 as a team and have scored 112 runs (3.3/game). Wisconsin has hit nine home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.34. Burlington is hitting .218 as a team and has scored 132 runs (3.7/game). The Bees have hit 21 homers this season. The Burlington pitching staff has an ERA of 3.43.

BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER: Eduardo Paulino was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Royals. He was 9-1 with a 1.55 ERA in the Dominican Summer League in 2006 and was named Most Valuable Pitcher of that team by the Royals. He spent 2007 with the Burlington Royals of the Appalachian League and was 3-2 with a 4.86ERA in 12 starts. In his last start for the Bees in 2008, Paulino allowed five runs on six hits with four walks over five innings against Beloit on May 8. He received a no decision in the game. Today is his first appearance against the Rattlers and an affiliate of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

*-with Laurence Olivier as Zeus!