May 4, 2009 Game Notes

ABOUT SUNDAY: The Timber cracked 17 hits for a new season high, but the Lansing Lugnuts beat the Rattlers 8-6.

A PRETTY GOOD DAY: Juan Sanchez and Brett Lawrie both went 4-for-5 for the Rattlers yesterday. Sanchez had four singles and scored two runs. Lawrie had three singles, a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

NEVER IN FRONT: Lansing scored first on a Mike McDade homer in the second. The Rattlers tied the game in the third only to have the Lugnuts go in front again with three runs in the fourth. The Rattlers answered with two in their half of the fourth inning. But, Yohermyn Chavez homered in the top of the fifth and the Lugnuts tacked on another run for a 6-3 lead. Lansing added runs in the sixth and eighth innings and Wisconsin got a run in the eight to make the score 8-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

YEAH, HE’S GOOD: Chavez hit his Midwest League leading fifth homer yesterday. He continues to lead the league in slugging percentage (.667) and runs scored (19). He is also tied for the league lead in extra base hits (13).

MAKING IT INTERESTING: After the first Rattler of the ninth inning was retired, Lansing reliever Yorman Mayora gave up three straight singles to Sanchez, Lawrie, and Brock Kjeldgaard to load the bases. He walked Corey Kemp to force in a run.

MAKING IT REALLY INTERESTING: Matt Daly relieved Mayora and uncorked a wild pitch with Michael Vass at the plate to allow Lawrie to score and make the score 8-6 with the tying runs in scoring position.

DARN IT: Another Daly pitch got away with Vass at the plate and Kjeldgaard tried to score. But, catcher Jon Talley got to the ball and flipped to Daly covering the plate to retire Kjeldgaard for the second out. Daly would walk Vass, but he got the final out.

ADVENTURES IN BASE RUNNING: The Timber Rattlers had a pair of runners thrown out at home plate and one thrown out at third base in Sunday’s game. Lansing outfielders have seven outfield assists this season. Right fielder Markus Brisker is tied for the Midwest League lead in outfield assists with four.

CLIMBING TO EIGHT: Sanchez extended his hitting streak to eight games with his 4-for-5 day on Sunday. He is 17-for-34 (.500) during the streak. When the streak began on April 25, Sanchez was hitting .174. He has raised his average to .375 and is currently third in the Midwest League batting race.

WEREN’T THEY STRUGGLING? Lansing entered this series scoring three runs a game, a team batting average of .223, and a 5-16 record. In the first two games of this series – both wins, the Lugnuts have score 19 runs and 21 hits.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Lansing Lugnuts are the Midwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Clayton McCullough is in his second season as the manager of the Lugnuts. Last season, the Lugnuts were 76-64. They made the playoffs as the first half Eastern Division Champions. The Lugnuts are off to a 7-15 start in their first 22 games. In their last series, Lansing dropped two out of three at Kane County. Last season, Wisconsin was 4-2 against the Lugnuts. This is the final meeting of the first half between the teams. Lansing hosts the Timber Rattlers in a series at Oldsmobile Park July 18-20.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .245 as a team. They have scored 93 runs (4.2/game) and hit nine home runs. The Lugnuts are hitting .228 as a team. They have scored 78 runs (3.5/game) and hit 13 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.88 while allowing a total of 121 runs (5.5/game). Lansing pitchers have a team ERA of 4.74 while allowing 110 runs (5.2/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 27 errors. The Lugnut defense has committed 26 errors. Wisconsin is 8-6 at Time Warner Cable Field this season. The Lugnuts are 5-7 away from Oldsmobile Park this season.

LANSING STARTING PITCHER: RHP Josh Wells was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Australia in May, 2006 by the Blue Jays. Wells pitched for Auburn in the New York-Penn League in 2008 and was 6-4 with a 3.92 ERA in 16 games (all starts). Wells struck out 47 and walked 23 in 64-1/3 innings pitched. In his start for the Lugnuts prior to today, Wells allowed three runs on six hits over five innings at West Michigan on April 26. He gave up a homer, hit a batter, walked a batter, struck out a batter, and threw a wild pitch. Wells is facing the Timber Rattlers for the first time in his career. Today is also the first time he has faced an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.