ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Cougars 3-0. Jake Odorizzi struck out seven over seven shutout innings for the win. Pete Fatse homered and drove in a pair of runs.
BIG JAKE: The seven innings pitched by Odorizzi last night set a new single game high for him as a professional. He walked two and allowed five this. Odorizzi has been the starting pitcher in two of the three shutouts tossed by Wisconsin pitching this season.
A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS: The Cougars had runners at second and third with one out in the third inning. The Rattlers infield was playing back. Tyreace House hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Michael Marseco and Marseco came home with the throw to get the runner.
FIRST! Caleb Thielbar pitched the final two innings for the Rattlers and struck out a pair. Thielbar picked up his first professional save with his two scoreless innings last night.
TWO IN A ROW: Last night marked the second consecutive shutout recorded by the Timber Rattlers over Kane County at Elfstrom Stadium. On August 31, 2009, - the final meeting between the teams in Geneva, IL last season - Maverick Lasker and Brandon Ritchie combined to beat the Cougars 2-0.
A WORD ABOUT THE OFFENSE: Fatse hit a leadoff home run in the top of the fifth to break a scoreless tie. It was his first homer since April 21. Khris Davis drove in a run with a single in the sixth and Fatse added an RBI single in the sixth.
DAVIS DRIVES THEM IN: Davis has knocked in at least one run in each of his last three games. He has knocked in eight runs in his last nine games and is hitting .400 (14-for-35) during that span. The recent hot streak has bumped Davis’s average to .327 which is good for ninth in the Midwest League batting race.
FOUR! The Rattlers have won four straight games for the first time since August 16-20, 2009. Wisconsin’s longest winning streak in 2009 was five games.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Kane County Cougars are the Midwest League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are 20-26 and in sixth place in the Midwest League’s Western Division. In their most recent series, Kane County was swept in four games at Clinton. The Cougars have lost seven in a row and are 1-9 in their last 10 games.
2009 SEASON SERIES: Wisconsin went 7-12 against the Cougars in 2009. The Rattlers were 4-7 in 11 games between the teams at Elfstrom Stadium last season.
2010 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 3-1 against Kane County this season. Wisconsin won two of three from the Cougars at Time Warner Cable Field to start the 2010 season. The Rattlers swept a doubleheader on Opening Night (4/9) by scores of 3-2 and 6-3. Kane County won the final game of the series 10-5.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .258 as a team. They have scored 226 runs (5.0/game) and hit 21 home runs. The Cougars are hitting .235 as a team. They have scored 204 runs (4.4/game) and hit 19 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.53 while allowing a total of 235 runs (5.2/game) this season. Kane County pitchers have a team ERA of 4.01 while allowing 216 runs (4.7/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 71 errors. The Cougars defense has committed 64 errors. Wisconsin is 5-11 in road games this season. Kane County is 12-8 at Elfstrom Stadium this season.
KANE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: LHP Ian Krol was selected in the 7th round of the 2009 draft by Oakland out of Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois. Krol did not pitch in high school as a senior due to a suspension. He signed with Oakland over a scholarship to the University of Arizona. Krol made one relief appearance in the Arizona League and three appearances (one start) in the Northwest League last season. He was 0-1 with a 6.32ERA in his first season as a professional. In his start prior to tonight, Krol allowed two unearned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings and was charged with the loss on May 20 at Beloit. Krol was the starter on Opening Night against the Timber Rattlers in the first game of the doubleheader on April 9. He gave up two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3-2/3 innings for the loss. That is his only appearance against the Rattlers and his only appearance against an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Krol’s 2.00 ERA is good for eighth in the Midwest League. Krol is rated as the #16 prospect in the Oakland organization by Baseball America.
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