August 29 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 3-1. Maximo Mendez had three hits, stole two bases, and scored two runs to pace the Rattler offense. Keith Meyer pitched six shutout innings and the Rattlers ended their home schedule with a victory.

JUST MAKING A NOTE OF IT: The Rattlers have won their last regular season home game of the season in four straight years. The last time the Rattlers did not win the last home game of a season was a 7-6 loss to Fort Wayne on September 6, 2004.

A PLACE CALLED HOME: The Rattlers wrapped up the 2008 home schedule with a record of 30-34. For comparison, Wisconsin was 26-42 in 2007 and 29-40 in 2006.

STEPPING UP: Mendez moved into the leadoff spot last night for the first time since August 22. He had hit eighth (once) or ninth (thrice) in the lineup the times he had been in the lineup since 8/22. Mendez went 3-for-4 and scored two runs. He also knocked in a run. The two steals gave Mendez 25 on the season.

OFFENSE: Catcher Blake Ochoa tripled to start the Rattler third inning. Mendez singled to drive him in with the first run of the game. Later in the inning, Joe Dunigan drove in Mendez with a single for a 2-0 lead. Edilio Colina drove in Mendez with a single in the bottom of the fifth for a little insurance.

TO 50 AND BEYOND: Colina became the second Rattler with 50 RBI this season when he drove in Mendez. Dunigan leads the Rattlers with 55 RBI.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF STREAK: Dunigan has driven in at least one run in the last five games in which the Rattlers have scored a run.

MEYER WAY: The Pittsburgh native made his third start of the season and pitched a career-high six innings while keeping the Kernels in check. Meyer walked two, hit one, and struck out three while allowing three hits. He is 2-1 in three starts for the Timber Rattlers this season.

WELCOME BACK: Brett Lorin, the 5th round pick of Seattle in the 2008 draft, pitched two innings of relief last night. The product of Long Beach State University was making his first appearance in a game since August 11. Lorin allowed an unearned run with a walk, no hits, and a pair of strikeouts.

WELCOME BACK, PT II: Rattler reliever Rob Harmon also returned to action after a lengthy layoff. Harmon, who had last pitched on August 6, allowed a hit and issued a walk in the top of the ninth inning, but got the final three outs to earn his sixth save of the season.

LIVE BY THE STOLEN BASE; DIE BY THE CAUGHT STEALING: The Kernels lead the Midwest League in stolen bases with 238. Last night, Ochoa threw out two of the three Kernel players who attempted stolen bases.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Quad Cities River Bandits are the Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They missed out on the playoffs in both halves of the season. Quad Cities is 66-64 overall and 33-33 in the second half. The River Bandits are 35-28 at home this season. In their most recent series, the River Bandits split a four game series at Burlington.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .242 as a team and have scored 503 runs (3.8/game). Wisconsin has hit 60 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.87. Quad Cities is hitting .241 as a team. They have scored 551 runs (4.2/game). The Bandits have hit 97 home runs this season. The Quad Cities pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.79.

2008 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers lead the season series 6-4. Wisconsin and Quad Cities split a four game series at Modern Woodmen Park to open the 2008 season. The Rattlers won the first two games of a series on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium that was scheduled for four games from June 5-8. The games on June 7 and 8 were rained out. The teams split the four game series in Grand Chute August 21-24.

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed no current River Bandits on their list of the top 30 prospects in the St. Louis organization. Reliever Kenny Maiques was rated at #15 before the 2008 season, but he is currently on the DL.

OUT OF THE DRAFT 2007: The Cardinals have put eight members of their 2007 draft class on the active Quad Cities roster. Pitchers Chuckie Fick (15th), Dylan Gonzalez (31st), Deryk Hooker (7th), Jameson Maj (45th), and JD Stambaugh (25th) are joined by infielder Ross Oeder (28th) and outfielders Adron Chambers (38th) and Nick Peoples (19th).

OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: St. Louis has seven members of their 2008 draft class on the current River Bandit roster. Pitchers Jared Bradford (18th), Matt Frevert (28th), Ryan Kulik (8th), and Scott Mcgregor (15th); catcher Blake Murphy (42nd); and infielders Curt Smith (39th) and Niko Vasquez (3rd) are all on the Quad Cities roster.

QUAD CITIES STARTING PITCHER: RH Deryk Hooker was the 7th round pick of the Cardinals in the 2007 draft out of Mira Mesa High School in San Diego, California. Hooker went 1-1 with a 2.32 ERA in 10 games (three starts) for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals in 2007. He walked 11 and struck out 47 in 31 innings pitched in the GCL last season. Hooker began the 2008 season with Johnson City in the Appalachian League and was 1-1 with a save, an ERA of 3.38, 14 walks, and 55 strikeouts over 42-2/3 innings. He joined the River Bandits in early August and has made three appearances (all starts) compiling an 0-1 record with a 1.62 ERA. In his start prior to this evening, Hooker got a no decision against the Rattlers in Grand Chute on August 24. He allowed one run on five hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked two, but the Rattlers rallied for a 5-3 win. This is Hooker’s second start against the Rattlers, and third against a Mariner affiliate. He also faced the Pulaski Mariners on July 9. In a no decision, Hooker allowed one run on five hits over five innings with no walks and four strikeouts.