ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers defeated the Kane County Cougars 6-1. Trey Watten allowed one run on seven hits over six innings for the win. Nick Tyson pitched three scoreless frames for his second save. Steve Braun and Juan Sanchez each had two RBI to pace the Rattler offense.
THE SIXTH MONTH: Watten has had a spectacular month of June, but only one win to show for it. In four starts in June, Watten has allowed two runs on 15 hits over 23 innings with eight walks and 20 strikeouts. He is 1-0 with a 0.78 ERA.
TYSON: The Rattlers reliever has not allowed a run in nine outings this season. Tyson has pitched a total of 13 innings and allowed seven hits and one walk. Tyson has no record but is 2-for-2 in save opportunities.
GROUND GAME: Tyson has a ground out to fly out ratio of 1.90. What does that mean? Nearly twice as many of the balls put in play and recorded as outs with Tyson on the mound are on the ground as opposed to in the air.
QUADS: The Rattler defense turned four double plays last night. Watten got inning-ending twin killings in the first, second, and fifth innings. Tyson had a 6-4-3 game-ending double play turned in the ninth. Wisconsin has turned 58 double plays this season.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: The Rattlers scored three times in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI double from Braun, an RBI single from Sanchez, and an RBI fielder’s choice from Michael Marseco.
SKYROCKET: Well, not really. Cougars starting pitcher Kenny Smalley was the Midwest League leader in ERA with a 1.94 coming into the game. He allowed three earned runs in four innings and his 2.26ERA is now second in the MWL.
PADDING: Chris Dennis and Brock Kjeldgaard had back-to-back doubles in the fifth to put the Rattlers up 4-0. Braun singled later in the inning to drive in Kjeldgaard for a 5-0 lead.
A FAVORITE TEAM: Kjeldgaard is 10-for-28 (.357) with four doubles, three homers, and 11 RBI in eight games against the Cougars this season.
GIVE THE MAN A HAND: Kane County had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Petey Paramore lined a double to the gap in left-center. The first run scored by Sanchez to Marseco to Corey Kemp at the plate cut down the runner trying to score from first. That was the fourth outfield assist for Sanchez and the eighteenth by a Timber Rattlers outfielder this season.
SPEAKING OF FAVORITE TEAMS: Paramore is 11-for-23 (.478) in seven games against the Rattlers this season.
WALKING IN ELFSTROM: Wisconsin hitters drew nine walks last night to set a new season high. Michael Vass took a free pass three times, scored two runs, while also going 2-for-2 on the night.
DOUBLING DOWN: Wisconsin had nine hits last night and five of them were doubles. A double by Sanchez in the first inning tied him with Kemp for the team lead. Both Sanchez and Kemp have 17 two-base hits this season.
MY SACRIFICE: Marseco had another sacrifice bunt last night. He leads the team in that category with 10. Only James Beresford of Beloit (12) and Alexi Amarista of Cedar Rapids (11) have more sacrifice bunts than Marseco this season.
IT’S OVER…AT LEAST FOR THIS HALF: The Rattlers were eliminated from first half playoff contention on Wednesday night.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Wisconsin is closing out their first half schedule with an eight-game road trip. They are 3-2 with three games at Kane County June 19-21 left to be played.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are 39-28 and tied with the Cedar Rapids Kernels for the Western Division lead. The Clinton LumberKings are one game back in the Western Division with three games remaining. Kane County’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot over the Clinton LumberKings is two.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .250 as a team. They have scored 289 runs (4.3/game) and hit 35 home runs. The Cougars are hitting .258 as a team. They have scored 341 runs (5.1/game) and hit 55 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 3.99 while allowing a total of 312 runs (4.6/game). Kane County pitchers have a team ERA of 3.60 while allowing 279 runs (4.2/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 83 errors. The Cougars defense has committed 78 errors. Wisconsin is 12-19 in road games. The Cougars are 21-11 at Elfstrom Stadium this season.
SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers lead the season series 5-3. Wisconsin was 1-2 in a three game series at Elfstrom Stadium from May 20-22. The Rattlers took three out of four from the Cougars at Time Warner Cable Field June 10-13.
ALL-STARS: Kane County placed seven players on the Western Division squad for the upcoming Midwest League All-Star Game. Four Cougars will start for the West: First baseman Steve Kleen, shortstop Dusty Coleman, third baseman Jason Christian, and designated hitter Jeremy Barfield. Three Kane County pitchers also made the team: Starters Shawn Haviland and Kenny Smalley and reliever Jamie Richmond.
KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: RHP Matt Fitts was the 16th round pick of the Athletics in the 2008 draft and was selected out of Lewis-Clark State College. Fitts was 13-0 with a 2.97ERA for the Warriors and was part of an NAIA Championship team. Fitts began his pro career with the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League and was 1-1 in 18 games (one start) with an ERA of 2.86. So far this season, Fitts has pitched in 13 games (eight starts) and is 2-5 with two saves. In his start prior to this evening, Fitts beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels on June 14 with six shutout innings. Fitts has faced neither the Timber Rattlers nor a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate in his pro career.
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