June 15, 2009: Game Notes

ABOUT SUNDAY: The Timber Rattlers defeated the Burlington Bees 4-3. Wily Peralta struck out eight over five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) for the win. The Rattlers scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit. Jim Henderson gave up a pair of hits in the top of the ninth, but did not allow a run to earn his sixteenth save of the season.

EARLY ON: The Rattlers scored first with a run in the top of the second. Michael Vass doubled with two outs to drive in Chris Dennis.

HOW TO MAKE A JAM: In the bottom of the third, the first Burlington Bees hitter reached on an error. Peralta gave up a single and an RBI bunt single to Patrick Norris and the game was tied 1-1. Peralta walked the next hitter to load the bases with no outs.

HOW TO GET OUT OF A JAM: Peralta struck out Eric Hosmer, Nick Francis, and David Wood in order to leave the bases loaded and the game tied 1-1.

FALLING BEHIND: The Bees took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally against Peralta. Nick Van Stratten doubled and Hosmer drove him in with a single.

BACK CAME THE RATTLERS: Wisconsin staged a two-out rally of their own in the top of the sixth. John Delaney drew a walk against Burlington catcher Bryan Casey with two outs and Corey Kemp at second. On ball four, the pitch got to the backstop and Kemp took third. Blaine Hardy relieved Casey to face Chris Dennis.

DENNIS THE MENACE: Dennis lined the first pitch from Hardy into left field to drive in Kemp with the tying run.

BROCK-ED! Hardy got ahead of the next batter, Rattler first baseman Brock Kjeldgaard, 0-2. But, Kjeldgaard lined the next pitch to center for a two-run triple and a 4-2 Wisconsin lead. Kjeldgaard has eight RBI in the last five games.

NOT OVER YET: The Bees scored a run on a sacrifice fly by Antonio Jimenez in the bottom of the sixth off Evan Frederickson to make the score 4-3.

IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION: Frederickson did not give out a walk yesterday. In his last two outings, Frederickson has walked none in nine innings. Before that, he had walked 31 opposing batters in 34-1/3 innings.

END OF THE STREAK: The run allowed by Frederickson in the bottom of the sixth inning ended the scoreless streak of the Timber Rattlers relief corps. The streak ended at 21 innings.

WHAT AN ENDING: Henderson gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, but erased that runner quickly by turning a double play on a botched sacrifice bunt. The next batter – Fernando Garcia – reached on a double. A high throw on a grounder to short didn’t get the final out, but Garcia tried to score and when he was tagged out at the plate the game was over.

DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM: Henderson earned his 16th save in 16 opportunities. He is tied for fourth place on the single season Timber Rattler saves list with Brian Stitt from the 2004 Timber Rattlers. The record of 19 was set in 1995 and is held by John Thompson.

ROSTER MOVES: Earlier today, the Timber Rattlers made a pair of roster moves. Pitcher Alex Periard was activated off the roster of the Huntsville Stars, the Southern League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, and transferred to the roster of the Timber Rattlers. Infielder Brett Lawrie has been activated off the Wisconsin disabled list.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Wisconsin is closing out their first half schedule with an eight-game road trip. They are 1-0 with three games left in Burlington and four games at Kane County June 18-21.

PROSPECTING: There are seven members of the active Timber Rattler roster who are rated as top 30 prospects in the Milwaukee system by Baseball America. Infielder Brett Lawrie (#3) is in the top 10. Pitchers Alex Periard (#13), Cody Scarpetta (#15), Wily Peralta (#22), Efrain Nieves (#23), Evan Frederickson (#24), and Cody Adams (#28) are also on the list.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Burlington Bees are the Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are the defending Midwest League Champions. The Bees are 26-37 and have been eliminated from playoff contention in the first half. Burlington is currently on a four game losing streak heading into this series.

SEASON SERIES: The season series is even at 2-2. The Bees took two out of three from the Rattlers at Time Warner Cable Field May 5-7.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .247 as a team. They have scored 265 runs (4.2/game) and hit 34 home runs. The Bees are hitting .238 as a team. They have scored 257 runs (4.1/game) and hit 24 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.02 while allowing a total of 290 runs (4.6/game). Burlington pitchers have a team ERA of 4.15 while allowing 306 runs (4.9/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 78 errors. The Bees defense has committed 77 errors. Wisconsin is 10-17 in road games. The Bees are 9-23 at Community Field this season.

ALL STARS: The Bees have four members of their team on the Western Division team for the 2009 Midwest League All-Star game. Nick Van Stratten and Nick Francis were voted on as starting outfielders. Pitchers Barry Bowden and Bryan Casey will also represent the Bees.

BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER: RHP Tim Melville was selected by the Royals in the 4th round of the 2008 draft out of Wentzville (MO) High School. Melville did not pitch professionally in 2008. He is rated by Baseball America as the #5 prospect in the Kansas City organization. Melville is 1-3 in five starts with the Bees. In his start prior to this evening, Melville lost to Beloit on June 10. He pitched 5-2/3 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits. Melville has never face the Timber Rattlers and has never faced an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.