August 7 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers dropped a 4-3 decision to the LumberKings last night. Cristian Santana hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a 3-2 Wisconsin lead. Joseph Ortiz pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save.

FOLLOW THE LEADER: The Rattlers scored single runs in the second, sixth, and eighth innings. The LumberKings scored single runs in the second and sixth innings. Then, Santana hit his two-run homer in the eighth.

GET HIM IN: Juan Diaz drove in the first Rattler run of the game. His second inning groundout knocked in Alex Liddi from third base. That RBI was the 40th of the season for Diaz.

NO RBI: Miguel Alfonzo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play with runners at first and third in the bottom of the second. The runner from third scored, but Alfonzo did not get an RBI on the play.

SETTLING DOWN: Rattler starting pitcher Edward Paredes and Clinton starter Jorge Quintero kept the score at 1-1 through the fifth inning. Paredes worked through jams in the third and fourth innings. The Rattlers did not get a runner past second in the middle frames against Quintero.

SUDDENLY: Denny Almonte doubled to start the sixth inning. Garth sent him home with a single. An error on the play allowed Garth to take third base. But, Wisconsin could not cash in the insurance run.

BACK TO EVEN: Paredes walked a batter with one out in the sixth, but got out number two by striking out his eighth batter of the game. However, back-to-back singles by Carlos Dominguez and Andres James drove in the tying run.

BACK IN FRONT: Alex Meneses drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning with a two-out single that sent Liddi home from second. That put the Rattlers up 3-2.

TRE SUCCESSI; DUE DOPPI: Liddi had three hits – two doubles – in the game last night.

JUST THAT QUICK: Joe Kantakevich, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning, allowed a leadoff single to start the bottom of the eighth. Moments later, Santana hit his tenth home run of the season and the LumberKings were in front for the first time this season.

CLOSE AS CAN BE: The Rattlers and the LumberKings have met nine times this season. Three of Clinton’s four wins have been in their last at bat. Four of the nine games have been decided by one run, two have been decided by two runs, and one by three runs.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They were the first half Western Division Champions with a record of 41-26. They are currently 65-48 overall and have the best record in the Midwest League. Clinton is 33-26 at home this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .241 as a team and have scored 431 runs (3.8/game). Wisconsin has hit 45 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.93. Clinton is hitting .271 as a team to lead the Midwest League in that category. They have scored 557 runs (4.9/game) and lead the league in that category. The LumberKings have hit 94 home runs this season. The Clinton pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.49.

2008 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers lead the season series with a 5-4 record. The LumberKings won the only game played between the teams in Grand Chute in April. The other three games of that series were washed/frozen/snowed away. The Rattlers won four out of five games played at Alliant Energy Field over June 13-15.

CLINTON STARTING PITCHER: RH Blake Beavan was a first round pick of the Rangers and the 17th overall selection in the 2007 draft. He had signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Oklahoma, but elected to sign with the Rangers. He did not pitch as a pro in 2007. Beavan went 9-2 with a 0.19 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched in his senior season at Irving (TX) High School. Beavan was a First Team All-American selection by Baseball America and Gatorade’s Texas High School Player of the Year. Beavan joined the LumberKings in late April of this season and made his professional debut with six shutout innings in a win over Great Lakes on April 29 in Clinton. Beavan’s last outing before tonight for the LumberKings was on August 2 at Cedar Rapids. He allowed one run on three hits over five innings for his second straight win. Beavan, who is making his first appearance against the Rattlers and against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, is 8-6 with a 2.42ERA for the LumberKings this season. He was rated as the #8 prospect in the Ranger organization by Baseball America before the start of the 2008 season.