ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers lost 4-2 to the Cougars. Craig Italiano ran his record to 7-0 with five innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Donnie Hume allowed three runs (two earned) over three-plus innings for the loss.
ONE THIRD: The Cougars broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs off Hume in the third inning. The first run scored on a potential double play ball that was booted. The other run scored on a single by Larry Cobb.
*FALLING DOWN: The Rattlers are 8-19 when their opponents score the first run of the game.
ONE FOURTH: Michael Richard plated Kane County’s third run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
TRIPLE CROWN: Italiano lowered his Midwest League leading ERA to 0.65 with five scoreless innings last night. He has gone 40-1/3 innings over seven starts without allowing an earned run. He also struck out five batters last night to take sole possession of the MWL lead in K’s with 68. The win last night was Italiano’s seventh and he is tied with Kennil Gomez for the league lead in that category.
**NEVER SURRENDER: The Rattlers got to within 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. Juan Diaz doubled in the first run and an infield single by Edilio Colina drove in the other. Wisconsin had runners at first and second with no outs, but could not push the tying run across the plate.
INSURANCE AGENT: The Cougars scored a run on an RBI grounder by pinch-hitter Michael Lissman in the bottom of the eighth to go up 4-2.
ARRRGH! The Rattlers tried to rally in the top of the ninth against Justin Friend. A one-out single by Scott Robinson was followed by a pinch-hit double by Denny Almonte to put runners at second and third. But, Nick Walters entered the game and got the final two outs for the save.
SIX PACK: The Rattlers used six pitchers last night. Hume (3.0IP), Jake Wild (2.2IP), Walter Suriel (1.0IP), Rob Harmon (0.0IP), Justin Souza (0.1IP), and Travis Mortimer (0.2IP) all got in last night.
IN A PINCH: After Almonte’s double last night, Wisconsin pinch-hitters are 2-for-4 in 2008. Last year, Rattler pinch-hitters were 3-for-14.
ON THE ROAD: The Rattlers are 3-8 in the first eleven games of their current 12-game road trip. The Rattlers are hitting .206 (72-for-350) and have scored 23 runs (2.1/game) on this trip. Opponents are hitting .235 (80-for-340) and have scored 44 runs (4.0/game) during the last eleven games.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. The Cougars are 32-21 this season. They are currently in second place in the Midwest League Western Division. Kane County trails first place Clinton by 6.5 games. The Cougars hold the first half Western Division Wild Card spot by 3.5 games over third place Beloit. The Cougars are 15-12 at Elfstrom Stadium.
202: Last night was the 202nd regular season meeting between the Rattlers and the Cougars. The series is tied 101-101.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .231 as a team and have scored 157 runs (3.1/game). Wisconsin has hit 13 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.29. Kane County is hitting .255 as a team and has scored 217 runs (4.1/game). The Cougars have hit 25 home runs this season. Their pitching staff has a combined ERA of 2.62.
2008 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers season series is tied at three wins a piece after six games. The Rattlers won the first two games of the series in Grand Chute by scores of 8-6 on May 16 and 4-2 on May 17. The Cougars won the final game of the series 4-0 on May 18. Kane County has won two of the first three games in this series. The teams will meet again August 9-12 on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium and August 16-19 at Elfstrom Stadium.
KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: Jamie Richmond was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 31st round of the 2004 draft out of Texarkana College. He joined the Oakland organization in a January 2008 trade that sent Mark Kotsay to the Braves. He was 7-6 with a 3.05ERA in 25 games (24 starts) for Rome in the South Atlantic League. He picked up a no decision in his start prior to this evening for the Cougars. On May 25 against the Quad Cities River Bandits, Richmond allowed one run on four hits over six innings with two walks and six strikeouts. Richmond is making his first appearance against the Timber Rattlers and his first appearance against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.
*-Rick, could I have my breakfast, please?
**- And if your path won't lead you home
You can never surrender
And when the night is cold and dark
You can see, you can see light
Cause no-one can take away your right
To fight and never surrender
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