May 16 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers defeated the Burlington Bees 7-2. Juan Ramirez allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings for his second straight win. The Rattler offense collected ten hits and matched their season high for runs scored.

QUICK COMEBACK: Burlington scored a first inning run off Ramirez. The Rattlers answered immediately in the bottom of the first with four straight hits that eventually led to three runs. Lead-off hitter Maximo Mendez singled. Number two hitter Juan Diaz tripled to tie the game 1-1. Number three hitter Edilio Colina doubled off the wall for a 2-1 lead. Cleanup batter Gavin Dickey singled to move Colina to third. A Calvin Beamon sacrifice fly made it 3-1.

EXTENDING THE STREAKS: Both Mendez and Rattler designated hitter Joe Dunigan had a hit last night to move their current season-high hitting streaks to the next game. Mendez is on a six-game streak and is 8-for-21. Dunigan is on a five-game streak and is 8-for-19.

SO WHAT? Ramirez struck out three Bees and saw his streak of consecutive starts with nine strikeouts end at three. But, he walked one and matched his career high for innings pitched for the victory.

DISTRIBUTION: Diaz and Dickey had two hits and only one Rattler was held without a hit last night. Five different Rattlers had an RBI and the other two runs scored on errors.

*BREAK ON THROUGH: By winning last night, the Rattlers gave themselves their first three-game winning streak of the season. Wisconsin had been 0-5 in their last five chances to extend a winning streak to three games.

THE SERIES GONE BY: The Rattlers hit .311 and outscored the Bees 16-8 in the four games with the Bees. Rattler pitchers had an ERA of 1.95 and struck out 37 while walking 14 in 37 innings.

THE HOMESTAND SO FAR: The Rattlers have gone 6-2 in the first eight games of this homestand by taking three out of four from both Cedar Rapids and Burlington. As a team they are hitting .252 and have scored 33 runs (4.1/game). The pitching staff has a team ERA is 1.85 and has held opponents to a batting average of .185 during this eight game stretch.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Last season, the Cougars finished the season 63-76 and missed the playoffs. Kane County was 24-45 in the first half and 39-31 in the second half. Wisconsin knocked the Cougars out of playoff contention by defeating them 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on September 2, the second to the last day of the 2007 season. Manger Aaron Nieckula is back for his third season at the helm of Kane County.

COUGARS IN 2008: Kane County is 25-12 and in second place in the Midwest League Western Division. They trail first place Clinton by 1.5 games. The Cougars are 14-4 in road games this season. In their most recent series, the Cougars took three out of four games from the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Elfstrom Stadium.

WATCH OUT FOR: Greg Dowling is hitting .314 and is currently ninth in the Midwest League batting race.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .242 as a team and have scored 122 runs (3.4/game). Wisconsin has hit nine home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.23. Kane County is hitting .257 as a team and has scored 166 runs (4.5/game). The Cougars have hit 19 homers this season. The Kane County pitching staff has an ERA of 2.37.

2007 SEASON SERIES: Kane County won the season series with Wisconsin last year. The Rattlers went 5-11 in sixteen games with the Cougars. Wisconsin was 4-6 in ten games played in Grand Chute last season.

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook has placed two members of the current Kane County roster on their list of the top 30 prospects in the Oakland organization. Outfielder Corey Brown is rated #6 and pitcher Craig Italiano is ranked #30.

OUT OF THE DRAFT: The Cougars have nine members of the 2007 Oakland draft class on their current roster. Pitchers Justin Friend (13th), Brad Hertzler (15th), Scott Hodsdon (6th), Chad Kerfoot (30th), and Lance Sewell (7th) are joined by catchers Jonathan Johnston (42nd) and Matt Smith (14th). Infielder Matt Ray (18th) and outfielder Corey Brown (1st supplemental) are also on the team. Two members of the Cougar disabled list were also drafted last season. Infielder Michael Richard (11th) and outfielder Adam Klein (48th) are both on the Kane County DL.

VETERANS: There are ten members of the current Kane County roster who played at least part of 2007 with the Cougars.

KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: Scott Moore was the 23rd round pick of the Oakland Athletics in the 2006 draft out of Texas State University. This is his third stint with the Cougars. In 2006 he made two relief appearances. Moore made 40 relief appearances and one start for Kane County in 2007 and went 1-4 with 11 saves and a 3.90ERA. Last year, Moore faced the Rattlers six times with one start. He had no record and three saves with a 5.19ERA and seven strikeouts over 8-2/3 innings. The start against the Rattlers was in the second game of a doubleheader on September 2 in Grand Chute. Moore allowed five runs on nine hits in three innings for a no decision. In 2008, Moore has made nine appearances – all in relief – and is 1-1 with four saves for the Cougars. In his appearance prior to tonight, Moore pitched four innings against Quad Cities on May 8 and picked up a save. He allowed one run on one hit with a walk, a hit batsman, and seven strikeouts.

*-A little Friday afternoon DOORS, MAN!