August 17 game notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Cougars beat the Timber Rattlers 6-5. Kane County scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to erase a 5-1 Rattler lead.

BACK-TO-BACK JACKS: Wisconsin took the early lead with consecutive home runs by Joe Dunigan and Denny Almonte in the top of the fourth inning.

TWO IN DOUBLE DIGITS: Dunigan’s homer was his eleventh of the season. Almonte’s was his tenth of the year. This marks the first time since the 2005 season that the Rattlers have had two players with ten or more home runs.

POWER SURGE: The Rattlers hit seven homers in the first four games of this road trip.

ADD TWO MORE: The Rattlers went up 4-0 with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the sixth. Blake Ochoa singled in the first run. An error allowed the second run to score.

HOW LOW CAN IT GO: Rattler starting pitcher Michael Pineda pitched five scoreless innings last night. He allowed five hits, walked two, and struck out five. Pineda’s ERA dropped to 2.08. He is currently third in the Midwest League in that category behind Jonathan Kibler (1.63) and Alfredo Figaro (2.05) of West Michigan.

JUST A NOTE: The Timber Rattler record for lowest ERA in a season – with at least 112 innings pitched – is held by TA Fulmer. In the 2003 season, Fulmer had an ERA of 2.58 over 167-2/3 innings pitched.

IT WAS ONLY ONE: After Natividad Dilone pitched two scoreless innings, Ryan Moorer allowed one run in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Cougars were within 4-1.

INSURANCE RUN: Wisconsin got a run on a two-out RBI double by Alex Liddi in the top of the ninth to go up 5-1.

OTTO GIOCO COLPISCE LA STRISCIA: Liddi’s double gave him a season-high eight-game hitting streak. He is (10-for-31) during this hit streak. Liddi had a nine-game hitting streak last season.

OUCH! Rattler lead-off batter Daniel Carroll was hit by a pitch twice last night. He has been hit by a pitch nine times this season.

THE DECISIVE INNING: Rattler closer Jeff Dunbar entered the game with a 5-1 lead. He had allowed on run in his first 13-1/3 innings as a Timber Rattler. He did not retire a batter in the bottom of the ninth. Dunbar walked the lead-off batter. Then, the Cougars collected four straight hits – the final three were RBI singles to get the Cougars to within 5-4. Keith Meyer relieved Dunbar and got the first out. But, [edit: Jake Smith] doubled down the left field line to drive in the tying and winning runs.

COBB: Cougar centerfielder/second baseman Larry Cobb is 15-for-46 (.326) with seven RBI against the Rattlers this season.

RARITY: The Rattlers lost for just the third time when leading after eight innings. Wisconsin is 36-3 with a lead heading into the ninth.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They were the first half Western Division Wild Card with a record of 39-29. They are currently 65-58 overall. Kane County is 34-29 at home this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .243 as a team and have scored 472 runs (3.9/game). Wisconsin has hit 53 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.93. Kane County is hitting .258 as a team. They have scored 558 runs (4.5/game). The Cougars have hit 75 home runs this season. The Kane County pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.42.

2008 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 5-7 against the Cougars in the 2008. Wisconsin went 2-1 against the Cougars in a series on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium May 16-18. The Rattlers won the first two games 8-6 and 4-2. They Cougars won the series finale 4-0. Kane County took three of four at Elfstrom Stadium May 28-31. The Rattlers and Cougars split a four game series in Grand Chute August 9-12.

KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: RH Scott Mitchinson was originally signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as a non-drafted free agent out of Australia in 2003. The Athletics selected him in the Triple-A portion of the 2007 Rule 5 Draft. He made three stops in the Philadelphia system last season: Gulf Coast, Williamsport (New York-Penn), and Lakewood (South Atlantic). In eight starts for Lakewood, Mitchinson was 3-3 with a 4.12ERA and struck out 50 batters while walking 14 in 43-2/3 innings. So far this season with the Cougars, Mitchinson is 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA in 13 games (12 starts). Mitchinson’s last outing was his first off the disabled list and his only relief appearance of the season. That outing was against the Timber Rattlers on August 12 as he allowed four hits over 2-2/3 scoreless innings. Mitchinson’s last start was a loss at Quad Cities on June 23. He is 1-1 in two starts against the Timber Rattlers in 2008. Mitchinson pitched seven shutout inning with nine strikeouts on May 18 in Grand Chute for a win. The Rattlers beat him on May 29 in Geneva by scoring one unearned run on two hits and despite seven strikeouts. Mitchinson has struck out 21 without issuing a walk in 16-2/3 innings against Wisconsin this season.