ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers swept a doubleheader with a pair of come from behind victories over the Peoria Chiefs. Wisconsin won game one 7-6 and game two 8-7.
GAME ONE RECAP: Wisconsin trailed 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. The Rattlers scored four runs to jump in front 6-5. Cutter Dykstra doubled in the first run. John Delaney followed with a single. Brett Lawrie doubled to knock in Dykstra and an error on the play allowed Delaney to score the tying run. Corey Kemp’s RBI grounder plated Lawrie with the go ahead run.
CUTTER’S DAY: Dykstra went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two stolen bases, and two RBI in game one. His second RBI was a two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth that gave the Rattlers a 7-5 lead.
GAME TWO RECAP: The Chiefs grabbed an early 2-0 lead. The Rattlers went up 6-2. Peoria scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to grab a 7-6 lead. Lawrie blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth for an 8-7 lead.
I AM CANADIAN: Lawrie went 3-for-4 with a triple, a homer, and three RBI in second game of the doubleheader. In the doubleheader, Lawrie went 4-for-6 with four RBI.
OFF AND RUNNING: Erik Miller hit in the leadoff spot in game two after Dykstra was given his first game off in 2009. Miller had three hits, stole three bases, and scored three runs.
WHOA: Evan Frederickson was the starting pitcher in game two, but he could not get out of the fifth inning. Frederickson walked seven and struck out two over 4-1/3 innings. He left the game with the bases loaded and the Rattlers up 6-4. Brian Meadows got the second out, but gave up a three-run triple to Cliff Andersen and the Rattlers were down 7-6.
DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM: Rattler closer Jim Henderson pitched a scoreless top of the seventh for his third save in three opportunities this season.
UP-DOWN-UP: The Timber Rattlers began the season with a three game winning streak. Wisconsin lost the next six games. The Rattlers have won their last three games.
A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON: In their history, the Timber Rattlers have played two games at Miller Park. Both games were against the Beloit Snappers when Beloit was the Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and the Rattlers were an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The first game was played on August 14, 2003 and featured current Brewers Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Manny Parra. The Snappers won 4-2 in front of 14,447. On August 12, 2004, the Snappers beat the Rattlers 5-0 in front of 5,127.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .209 as a team. They have scored 42 runs (3.5/game) and hit five home runs. The Chiefs are hitting .269 as a team. They have scored 52 runs (4.3/game) and hit five homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 3.62 while allowing a total of 49 runs (4.1/game). Peoria pitchers have a team ERA of 4.02 while allowing 52 runs (4.3/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 12 errors. The Chief defense has committed 23 errors. Wisconsin is 6-3 at home this season. Peoria is 1-5 on the road in 2009.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed four current Chiefs on its Top 30 list of Chicago Cub prospects before the 2009 season. Third baseman Josh Vitters is rated at #1 on the list. Shortstop Ryan Flaherty is at #8. The Chiefs also have infielder Junior Lake (#14) and pitcher Chris Carpenter (#18) on that list.
OLD HAT? The Chiefs played a game against the Kane County Cougars at Wrigley Field on July 29, 2008. The game drew 32,103 fans.
PEORIA STARTING PITCHER: RHP Aaron Shafer was the 3rd round pick of the Cubs in the 2008 draft. Shafer pitched collegiately at Wichita State University. In his final season with the Shockers, Shafer went 11-4 with a 3.26ERA and he led the Missouri Valley Conference in strikeouts with 110 while walking just 28. Shafer spent last his first professional season with stops in the Arizona League and the Northwest League. He made one appearance for the Mesa Cubs in the AZL before moving to the Boise Hawks of the NWL. In eight games (seven starts) Shafer was 2-2 with a 3.09ERA with 24 strikeouts and five walks. Shafer is 2-0 in two Midwest League starts for the Chiefs in 2009. In his last start, Shafer went seven innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts for the win against Dayton on April 15. Shafer has never faced the Timber Rattlers and has never faced an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers before tonight.
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