ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers lost 9-7 to the Clinton LumberKings at Time Warner Cable Field. Clinton scored four times in the first and five times in the second off Wisconsin starting pitcher Efrain Nieves to grab a 9-0 lead. The Rattlers offense chipped away with two runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings. Wisconsin added a run in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate, but the comeback bid fell short.
OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT: The first three Clinton hitters of the game reached. Nieves got the first out, but a three-run double by Jake Shaffer gave Clinton a 3-0 lead. Later in the inning, Nate Tenbrink singled home a run for a 4-0 score. After the Rattlers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, Clinton scored a run when Daniel Carroll tripled and the throw to the infield got away and another run on a RBI fielder’s choice by Denny Almonte. Steve Moss made the score 9-0 with a three-run homer.
GIVING THEM A CHANCE: Rigoberto Almonte relieved Nieves to start the third inning and he pitched three shutout frames. Cody Scarpetta was next and he also tossed three scoreless innings. Liam Ohlmann pitched a scoreless ninth inning to wrap up six shutout innings by the Rattlers bullpen last night.
SCARPETTA: In two second half appearances, Scarpetta has not allowed a run over eight innings. He has given up five hits, walked three, and struck out 10 in those two starts.
TO THE OFFENSE: Michael Marseco snapped out of a slump with a pair of hits and three RBI. Heading into the game on Saturday night, Marseco had been 1-for-23 on the homestand. Marseco had an RBI triple in the fourth inning and a two-run single with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
CAIN WATCH: The Milwaukee Brewers sent outfielder Lorenzo Cain to the Rattlers to work his way back from injury. Last night was his first game in a Timber Rattlers jersey. Cain was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
ANOTHER STEP BACK: Friday’s loss moved the Timber Rattlers back to the .500 mark at 39-39. Since winning the first game of the second half put their record at 35-36, the Rattlers have either been one game under .500, at .500, or one game over .500 for their overall record.
ON THE ROAD: Wisconsin starts a four game series at Burlington today. These are the only four games of the road trip.
HOME AGAIN: The Rattlers will host the West Michigan Whitecaps and the South Bend Silver Hawks in a six-game homestand from July 8 through July 13.
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 went 29-41 and finished seventh in the eight team Western Division. Burlington is off to a 4-4 start in the second half. It’s early, but they are tied with Clinton and Quad Cities for the wildcard spot, one game behind the 5-3 Timber Ratttlers.
SEASON SERIES: The Bees lead the season series 4-3. Burlington took two out of three from the Rattlers at Time Warner Cable Field May 5-7. The teams split a four game series at Community Field June 14-17.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .246 as a team. They have scored 328 runs (4.2/game) and hit 37 home runs. The Bees are hitting .246 as a team. They have scored 338 runs (4.3/game) and hit 30 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 3.98 while allowing a total of 351 runs (4.6/game). Burlington pitchers have a team ERA of 4.10 while allowing 384 runs (4.9/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 92 errors. The Bees defense has committed 96 errors. Wisconsin is 13-21 on the road this season. Burlington is 13-26 at home this season.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed five members of the current Burlington roster on its list of top 30 prospects in the Royals organization. Eric Hosmer is the highest ranked player at #2. Pitchers Michael Montgomery (#4) and Tim Melville (#5) are also in the top ten. Catcher Jose Bonilla (#26) and pitcher Sam Runion (#28) are also on the list.
OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: The Royals have placed six members of their 2008 draft class on the current Bees roster. Hosmer was Kansas City’s #1 pick in 2008. Hosmer was also the third player selected in last year’s draft. He is the only non-pitcher on the Bees roster from the 2008 draft. Pitchers Montgomery (Supplemental 1st), Tim Melville (4th), Derrick Saito (16th), Blaine Hardy (22nd), and James Thompson (38th) were all selected by the Royals last year.
RETURNING ALUMNI: There are six players on the current Burlington roster that spent at least some time with the Bees in 2008. Pitchers Barry Bowden and Runion; infielders Juan Rivera and Jason Taylor; and outfielders Nick Francis and Nick Van Stratten were all Bees for at least part of 2008.
BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER: LHP Mike Montgomery was a supplemental first round pick by the Royals in the 2008 draft out of Newhall (CA) High School. Kansas City took him with the 36th overall pick and placed him in the Arizona League. Montgomery was 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 12 games (nine starts) for the Royals affiliate. Baseball America placed him as the #1 prospect of the Arizona League after last season and put him at #4 on their list of top Kansas City prospects before this season. Montgomery joined the Bees in mid-May and he is 1-1 with a 1.93ERA in eight starts. In his last outing, Montgomery allowed one run on two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over 5-2/3 innings against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on June 28. He was not involved in the decision. Tonight is Montgomery’s first appearance against the Timber Rattlers. He made two starts against Milwaukee’s Arizona League affiliate in 2008 and was 1-0 with a 1.80ERA. In those two games, Montgomery allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 10 innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
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