June 23 Game Notes

ABOUT SUNDAY: The Timber Rattlers beat the Bees 4-3 in ten innings. Alex Liddi drove in the winning run with a two out single in the bottom of the tenth. Edilio Colina had three hits and Juan Diaz drove in a pair of runs for the Wisconsin. The win ended Wisconsin’s seven-game losing streak to the Bees.

FIRST STRIKE: For the first time since the losing streak to the Bees began, the Rattlers scored first in the game. Diaz drove in Israel Nunez with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: That 1-0 advantage was the first lead Wisconsin had on the Bees since their 7-2 win on May 15. The Rattlers never had the lead in any of the games during the seven game slide against Burlington.

HERE COME THE BEES: Burlington took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. David Lough tripled in the first run and scored on a two-out single by Zach Evangelho.

COMEBACK KIDS: Diaz singled in the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Moments later, Colina singled in the go ahead run.

TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT: Rattler starting pitcher Juan Ramirez protected that 3-2 lead until the ninth inning. He went a career high 8-2/3 innings and tossed over 110 pitches in the game. He struck out four and walked a pair.

THE LAST TIME: The last Timber Rattler starting pitcher to toss a 9-inning complete game was Tony Butler. Butler allowed four hits in a complete game shutout at Burlington on August 26, 2007.

ONE LAST STING: Ramirez was one strike from a complete game victory. But, Clint Robinson drilled a pinch-hit home run to right on a 3-2 pitch. The pitch before Robinson’s game-tying blast was a foul tip that was not held on to for a game ending strikeout.

MAY BE HABIT FORMING: The last three home wins for the Timber Rattlers have been walk-off wins in extra innings.

ABOUT A RALLY: Colina singled with one out in the bottom of the tenth. One out later, Joe Dunigan reached on catcher’s interference. Liddi’s sinking line drive fell in just in front of a diving Adrian Ortiz in center and Colina scored easily in the Wisconsin win.

JUST BRINGING IT UP: Dunigan went 0-for-15 in the series with the Bees. Including the series to end the first half at Clinton, he has one hit in his last 33 at bats.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the Midwest League affiliates of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They finished the first half with a record of 32-36 and out of the playoffs in the Western Division. The Kernels are 3-1 to start the second half of the season. They are on a three game winning streak as they won the final three games of a four game series with Quad Cities. Cedar Rapids is 20-18 at home this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .236 as a team and have scored 246 runs (3.5/game). Wisconsin has hit 22 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.45. The Kernels are hitting .229 as a team. They have scored 301 runs (4.2/game). Cedar Rapids has hit 41 home runs this season. The Kernel pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.50.

2008 SEASON SERIES: In the first half, the Rattlers and Kernels have split eight games this season. Wisconsin won three out of four games from the Kernels on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Cedar Rapids won three out of four games from the Rattlers on Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook has five current members of the Kernels on their list of the top thirty prospects in the Angel organization. Pitcher Jordan Walden is the highest rated player at #3. Catcher Anel De Los Santos is next at #10. Pitcher Trevor Reckling (#16), shortstop Andrew Romine (#28), and outfielder Clay Fuller (#30) are also on the list. Pitcher Mason Tobin, who is currently on the disabled list, is rated as the #21 prospect in the Angel organization.

OUT OF THE 2007 DRAFT: The Kernels have nine players on their active roster who were members of the 2007 Angel draft class. Pitchers from last year’s draft are: Cephas Howard (37th), Eddie McKiernan (17th), Trevor Reckling (8th), Jordon Towns (25th), and Jordan Walden (12th). Infielders Jay Brossman (36th), Hecto Estrella (40th), Efren Navarro (50th), and Andrew Romine (5th) were also picked in the ’07 draft.

OUT OF THE 2008 DRAFT: Outfielder Ryan Groth was selected by the Angels in the 22nd round of the 2008 entry draft. Groth played college baseball at Oral Roberts University.

CEDAR RAPIDS STARTING PITCHER: Jordan Walden was the 12th round pick of the Angels in the 2006 draft out of Grayson County (TX) Community College. Walden signed before the 2007 draft. He pitched professionally last year at Orem in the Pioneer League and went 1-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 15 starts. In his start prior to this evening, Walden beat Kane County at Elfstrom Stadium. He pitched six shutout innings, allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out four in the victory over the Cougars. Tonight is Walden’s first appearance against the Timber Rattlers and his first appearance against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.