4/17/2010

April 17, 2010: Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Burlington Bees 9-0 at Community Field. Wisconsin was within one out of a combined no-hitter for Jake Odorizzi and Damon Krestalude, but Hilton Richardson doubled in the bottom of the ninth for the Bee’s only hit.

FIRST THE OFFENSE: Pete Fatse had three hits – including his first homer of the season – and drove in five runs for Wisconsin. The Rattlers banged out 12 hits last night.

NEXT THE DEFENSE: Wisconsin’s defense played an errorless game for the third time this season. The Rattlers have won all three errorless games that they have played.

EVERYTHING’S JAKE: Odorizzi pitched five innings and matched his career professional high for strikeouts in a game with eight. Odorizzi walked one and hit one. In his two outings with Wisconsin this season, Odorizzi has allowed one hit and no runs while striking out 12 over eight innings.

RIDING THE KREST: Krestalude relieved Odorizzi to start the bottom of the sixth inning and retired the first 11 batters he faced. He struck out three and allowed just the double to Richardson to pick up his first professional save.

THE LAST TIME: The last no-hitter for the Timber Rattlers was tossed by Derrick Van Dusen on August 27, 2001 at Cedar Rapids. Van Dusen walked two and struck out 12 in the second to last game at old Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Rattlers have never had a combined no-hitter.

LAST DEEP RUN: Michael Pineda had a one-hitter on September 1, 2008 season. Cody Scarpetta and Nick Tyson combined on a one-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against Clinton on May 17, 2009. Pineda allowed his only hit in the nine inning game in the fifth inning. Scarpetta tossed five no hit innings and Tyson gave up a single with two outs in the sixth of the seven inning game. The last time the Timber Rattlers carried a no-hitter deep into a game was August 10, 2007. Tony Butler retired the first 20 batters he faced before allowing the first hit of the game with two outs in the top of the seventh inning at Time Warner Cable Field.

ALMOST TURNABOUT: Burlington Bees pitchers Dusty Hughes and Jake Mullis tossed a combined no-hitter against the Timber Rattlers at Community Field on April 12, 2004. Hughes pitched eight innings and Mullis pitched the ninth. Burlington won 3-0 with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.

YOUR FACT OF THE DAY: Pete Fatse’s last home run before last night was July 6, 2009 at Burlington off Tim Mellville.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Quad Cities River Bandits are the Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are off to a 7-2 start this season. The River Bandits had a six game winning streak snapped last night in Clinton. Last season, the River Bandits missed the playoffs. They were 30-40 in the first half and 31-38 in the second half to compile an overall record of 61-78. Johnny Rodriguez is in his first season as the manager of the River bandits.

2009 SEASON SERIES: Wisconsin went 4-6 against the River Bandits last year. The Timber Rattlers were 0-4 versus Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park in 2009

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .61 as a team. They have scored 47 runs (5.2/game) and hit 4 home runs. The Bandits are hitting .49 as a team. They have scored 46 runs (5.1/game) and hit 6 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.08 while allowing a total of 47 runs (5.2/game) this season. Quad Cities pitchers have a team ERA of 3.44 while allowing 33 runs (3.7/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 18 errors. The River Bandits defense has committed 8 errors. Wisconsin is 1-2 on the road this season. Quad Cities is 3-0 at Modern Woodmen Park this season.

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s 2010 Prospect Handbook listed four members of the current River Bandits roster on their list of top 30 prospects in the St. Louis organization. Pitcher Shelby Miller, a first round pick out of Brownwood (TX) High School in 2009, is rated as St. Louis’ #1 prospect. Catcher Robert Stock, the Cardinals second round pick out of the University of Southern California in 2009, is #10. Pitcher Joe Kelley (#21) and shortstop Ryan Jackson (#25) are also on the list.

QUAD CITIES STARTING PITCHER: LHP Dan Calhoun was the 29th round pick of the Cardinals in the 2009 draft out of Murray State. Calhoun went 11-3 with a 2.32 ERA in 16 games (14 starts) and walked just six batters in 97 innings in his final season. Calhoun was an All-American with the Racers in 2009. In his pro debut, Calhoun went 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 12 games (six starts) for the Batavia Muckdogs, the New York-Penn League affiliate of the Cardinals. Calhoun made his River Bandits debut on April 12 against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Calhoun pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowed four hits, and struck out two without walking a batter for a no decision. Tonight is the first time Calhoun will face the Timber Rattlers and the first time he will face an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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