LAST ACTION: The Timber Rattlers lost 15-6 to the Peoria Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. The loss snapped Wisconsin’s three-game winning streak to start the second half of the season.
A LITTLE OF THE BACK AND FORTH: The Rattlers trailed the Chiefs 2-0 after the top of the third inning. Wisconsin rallied to tie the game with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Then, the Chiefs went up 4-2 by scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
OUT FRONT: Wisconsin grabbed their first lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brock Kjeldgaard and Derrick McPhearson each drew bases loaded walks to tie the game 4-4. Juan Sanchez made the score 6-4 with a two-out, two-run single.
WHOA: The first nine Chiefs batters of the top of the eighth inning reached. All nine scored. Rigoberto Almonte allowed the first six hitters of the frame to reach base. Nick Tyson let the next three on base. When the inning ended, the Chiefs had nine runs on seven hits and a 14-6 lead.
END OF THE LINE: Tyson’s scoreless streak ended at 15-1/3 innings.
HE GOES TO ELEVEN: Kjeldgaard lined his team leading eleventh homer of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game. Kjeldgaard had two RBI to push his team-leading total in that category to 45.
MAKING MOVES: Yesterday, infielder Steve Braun and outfielder Chris Dennis were placed on the disabled list of the Timber Rattlers. Also, pitcher Cody Adams was activated from the DL. Peter Fatse, the 24th round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 draft, has joined the Timber Rattlers and will be active for tonight’s game.
A STEP BACK: The loss on Sunday moved the Timber Rattlers back to the .500 mark to 37-37. Wisconsin is 3-1 to start the second half and leads the Western Division by one game.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Scott Steinmann, a former player, coach, and manager of the Timber Rattlers, is in his first season as the manager of the LumberKings. Pitching Coach Lance Painter was the pitching coach of Wisconsin in 2006 and 2007. This is the first season for Seattle to be the parent club of the LumberKings. They were 40-30 in the first half and missed a playoff spot. The LumberKings are off to a 2-2 start for the second half. In their series to kick off the second half of the schedule, the LumberKings split a four game set with Beloit at home.
2009 SEASON SERIES: The Timber Rattlers lead the season series 5-3. Clinton swept three games from the Timber Rattlers April 17-19 at Alliant Energy Field. The final game of the series was rained out on April 20. Wisconsin swept a five game series from the LumberKings at Time Warner Cable Field from May 16-19.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .245 as a team. They have scored 311 runs (4.2/game) and hit 36 home runs. The LumberKings are hitting .255 as a team. They have scored 361 runs (4.9/game) and hit 49 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 3.95 while allowing a total of 341 runs (4.6/game). Clinton pitchers have a team ERA of 3.09 while allowing 298 runs (4.0/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 88 errors. The LumberKings defense has committed 112 errors. Wisconsin is 24-16 at home this season. Clinton is 19-17 on the road this season.
DIDN’T YOU USED TO BE? Seattle had been the affiliate of Appleton’s entry in the Midwest League from 1993-2008. This is the first time a Seattle team has been affiliated with Clinton since the Seattle Pilots were the parent club of the Clinton Pilots in 1969.
FAMILIAR FACES: There are 11 players on the active Clinton roster that played – at one time or another – for the Timber Rattlers: Pitchers Ruben Flores (’06), Cheyne Hahn (’08), Jose Jimenez (’08), Ryan Moorer (’08), and Matt Renfree (’07); catcher Blake Ochoa (’08); infielders Luis Nunez (’07), Ogui Diaz (’07), and Terry Serrano (’08); and outfielders Denny Almonte (’08) and Danny Carroll (’08).
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed three members of the current LumberKings roster as a Top 30 prospect in the Seattle system. Pitcher Maikel Cleto (#16) is the highest rated player on the list. Outfielder Denny Almonte (#22) is the only other Clinton position player on the list. Pitcher Aaron Pribanic (#27) is also on the list.
OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: The Mariners have placed eight members of their 2008 draft class on the current LumberKings roster. Pitchers Kenn Kasparek (12th), Bobby LaFromboise (8th), Stephen Penny (29th), Blake Nation (22nd), and Aaron Pribanic (3rd); infielders Scott Savastano (28th), and Nate Tenbrink (7th); and outfielder Jake Shaffer (15th) were all selected by Seattle in 2008.
CLINTON STARTING PITCHER: Kenn Kasparek was Seattle’s 12th round pick in the 2008 draft out of the University of Texas. Kasparek was 4-3 with a 3.76ERA in 15 starts for the Longhorns in 2008. He walked 27 and struck out 76 over 76.2IP. Kasparek split his first pro season between Pulaski and Everett in the Mariner system. He went 5-4 over 15 games (13 starts) and struck out 65 and walked 23 over 52 innings on those two stops. In his start prior to tonight, Kasparek faced Beloit at home on June 25. He allowed two runs on six hits over four innings for a no decision. Kasparek has made one start against the Rattlers this season. On May 17 in the first game of a doubleheader, the Wisconsin scored three runs (all unearned) on seven hits over 4-1/3 innings to tag Kasparek with the loss. He walked two and struck out four in that game, his only appearance against the Rattlers and an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in his career.
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