June 25 Game Notes

ABOUT TUESDAY: The Rattlers lost 5-2 to Cedar Rapids. Tyler Johnson homered twice and Trevor Bell tossed a complete game for the Kernels.

IT’S BEEN AWHILE: The Rattlers scored twice in the first inning yesterday. Edilio Colina and Ron Garth had back-to-back RBI doubles off Bell. That was the first time the Rattlers have scored a first inning run since June 4. In the 16 games between June 4 and June 24, the Rattlers were outscored in the first inning 30-0.

BUT, STILL: The Rattlers went 8-8 in those 16 games.

THE BELL TOLLS: Bell, who started the 2008 with Rancho Cucamonga, the California League affiliate of the Angels and had a pair of complete games there, pitched his first complete game as a member of the Kernels yesterday. After the Rattlers had two hits off him in the first inning, Bell allowed three hits the rest of the game. Two of those three hits were bunt singles.

MATCHING UP: Rattler starting pitcher Edward Paredes struck out five batters in the first three innings as he kept the Kernels off the board.

PICKET FENCES: The Kernels scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings. They scored twice in the sixth.

UNEARNED: A pair of errors committed by the Rattlers in the fourth inning led to an unearned run.

FIRST IN A SERIES: Johnson, who was 0-for-5 with four strikeouts on Monday night, hit a homer to left off Paredes in the fifth to tie the game.

THE SEQUEL: Johnson homered to center in the eighth inning off Keith Meyer that made the score 5-2.

ROSTER MOVE: Pitcher Robbie Dominguez joins the Timber Rattlers today. He takes the roster spot of Gavin Dickey, who was placed on the disabled list. Dominguez was a 46th round selection of the Mariners in the 2006 draft and signed right before the 2007 draft. Dominguez spent last season with Peoria, Seattle’s Arizona League affiliate, and was 3-1 with a 2.01ERA in 14 games (eight starts). Dominguez was named to the Arizona League post-season All-Star squad. He began the 2008 season with the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League. In two relief appearances for Everett, Dominguez pitched 3-1/3 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk, a strikeout, and no decisions.

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 4-2 to start the second half of the season. Cedar Rapids is 21-19 at home this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .235 as a team and have scored 251 runs (3.5/game). Wisconsin has hit 22 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.42. The Kernels are hitting .229 as a team. They have scored 309 runs (4.2/game). Cedar Rapids has hit 43 home runs this season. The Kernel pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.45.

2008 SEASON SERIES: Wisconsin and Cedar Rapids have split the first ten games of the season series. In the first half, the Rattlers and Kernels 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.

CEDAR RAPIDS STARTING PITCHER: Michael Davitt was a 29th round pick of the Angels in the 2006 draft out of Oskaloosa Walton (FL) Community College. He signed with the Angles in May of 2007, before the draft. He pitched for Orem in the Pioneer League in his first pro stop and was 0-3 in 13 games (eight starts) for the Owlz. He walked 16 and struck out 30 in 33-1/3 innings pitched while racking up an ERA of 5.67. Davitt has faced the Rattlers twice this season. Wisconsin beat Davitt on May 8 in Grand Chute. The Rattlers got to him for five runs on five walks over three innings. Davitt did strikeout five, but the Rattlers cruised to a 7-1 win. On May 20 in Cedar Rapids, Davitt was the winning pitcher in an 11-6 Kernel win. Davitt allowed two unearned runs over five innings with four walks and four strikeouts. In his appearance prior to tonight, Davitt pitched one inning and allowed one run on three hits at Kane County on June 15.