ABOUT SATURDAY: The Timber Rattlers rallied from an early 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits. Brock Kjeldgaard homered to tie the game 2-2 and Erik Miller doubled in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning.
TRADING TWOS: Quad Cities scored first with a pair of first inning runs off Timber Rattler starting pitcher Dan Merklinger. Wisconsin bounced back with a two-out homer by Kjeldgaard in the bottom of the first.
TAKING THE LEAD: Miller’s doubled down the right field line to put Wisconsin a lead they would not relinquish.
DOUBLING DOWN: Miller has a double in each of the first three games of the season.
THAT’S A LOT OF WALKS: Four Timber Rattler pitchers combined to walk eight River Bandit hitters on Saturday. Wisconsin pitchers have walked 16 opponents this season and are second in the league in that category, behind only the 18 issued by Cedar Rapids Kernels pitchers.
THAT’S A LOT OF DOUBLE PLAYS: The Timber Rattler defense turned three double plays in Saturday’s game. In the sixth inning, a leadoff walk was followed by a 4-6-3 double play. In the seventh inning, a two-out walk was followed by a strike-‘em out, throw-‘em out double play to end the inning. In the eighth, a leadoff walk was followed by a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play.
TIED FOR THE LEAD: The Rattlers and the Cedar Rapids Kernels each have turned six double plays in the first three games of the Midwest League season to be tied for the top spot in that category.
CONTINUING TO RACKKKK UP THE K’S: Wisconsin pitchers combined to strike out nine River Bandits on Saturday. That gives Wisconsin 36 strikeouts over the first three games of the season. West Michigan leads the lead in strikeouts with 37.
FUN FACT #1: The Rattlers already have two home runs this season. Last year, as a Seattle Mariner affiliate, Timber Rattler batters hit three homers for the entire month of April.
FUN FACT #2: Jim Henderson picked up his second save of the season on Saturday. Jeff Dunbar and Rob Harmon each had six saves to lead Wisconsin in that category in 2008.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Fort Wayne TinCaps are the Midwest League affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Fort Wayne baseball and the Padres have been partners since 1999. The TinCaps were known as the Fort Wayne Wizards until this past off-season. In their final year as the Wizards, Fort Wayne missed the playoffs. They were 37-32 in the first half and 34-36 in the second half for an overall record of 71-69. Fort Wayne swept a three game series at Lansing to start their 2009 season.
2008 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers were 2-4 against the Wizards last year. Wisconsin was 1-2 on Time Warner Cable Field against Fort Wayne in ’08.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed six members of the current TinCap roster as a Top 30 prospect in the San Diego system. Infielders Allan Dykstra (#8) and James Darnell (#10) are both top ten prospects. The other four players to make the list are pitcher Simon Castro (#14), infielder Drew Cumberland (#15), outfielder Blake Tekotte (#19) and pitcher Nick Schmidt (#21).
OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: The Padres have placed 11 members of their 2008 draft class on the TinCap roster. Pitchers Anthony Bass (5th round), Erik Davis (13th), Rob Musgrave (14th), Tom Davis (16th), Eric Gonzalez (24th), and Zach Herr (38th) are joined by catcher Robert Lara (19th); infielders Allan Dykstra (1st), James Darnell (2nd), and Matt Clark (12th); and outfielder Blake Tekotte (3rd).
RETURNING ALUMNI: There are seven members of the Opening Day Roster for the TinCaps who spent at least a part of the 2008 season in Fort Wayne. Pitchers Colt Hynes and Alexis Lara; catcher Adam Zornes; infielders Drew Cumberland and Kevin Hansen; and outfielder Angel Mercado all played for the Wizards in 2008.
FORT WAYNE STARTING PITCHER: LH Rob Musgrave was the 14th round pick of the Padres in the 2008 draft out of Wichita State University. In his senior season with the Shockers, Musgrave went 12-1 with a 2.51ERA and earned First Team All-American honors from Baseball America. In his first pro stop, Musgrave went 6-1 with a 3.21ERA in 27 games for the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League. All of his appearances for the Emeralds were in relief. In 42 innings, he struck out 66 and walked 11. Tonight is his first appearance against the Timber Rattlers, his first appearance against an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, and his first professional start.
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