ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Rattlers lost 3-2 at Kane County. Wisconsin had a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Cougars got a two-run double from Kent Walton in the eighth to score what turned out to be the game winning runs.
WHAT THE HECK: Rattlers starting pitcher Kyle Heckathorn pitched seven innings, allowed one run on six hits, and struck out five without walking a batter. Heckathorn has pitched seven innings in back-to-back starts. In his last three starts, Heckathorn has allowed two earned runs in 20 innings to lower his ERA from 5.12 to 2.97.
SHOWING THEIR QUALITY: Wisconsin’s starting pitchers have tossed six consecutive quality starts (6IP with three or fewer earned runs). The Rattlers are 5-1 in their last six games.
THE SCORE: The Rattlers scored a run in the first inning when Scooter Gennett walked, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. A Khris Davis grounder to second got Gennett home with the run. Kane County got their run off Heckathorn in the second on a two-out RBI single by Franklin Hernandez. Wisconsin went back in front in the fifth. Cutter Dykstra singled, stole second, and went to third on a throwing error. Erik Miller’s sacrifice fly got Dykstra home with the go-ahead run.
EIGHT BALL: Rattlers reliever Santo Manzanillo walked the first batter he faced in the eighth and allowed a one-out single to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Walton doubled on a 3-2 pitch to drive in both runners.
NUMBER NINE: That was the ninth blown save by the Rattlers in 2010.
ANOTHER ONE? After last night, the Rattlers are now 2-11 in games decided by one run.
NO CONTACT: Wisconsin hitters struck out 14 times last night, the most in a nine inning game this season. Kane County starter Dan Straily struck out 10 in seven innings. Connor Hoehn struck out four over the final two innings, including the side in order in the top of the ninth.
MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH: The Rattlers were five outs from their sixth straight win, which would have matched their season high winning streak from 2009. A win by the Rattlers would have sent the Cougars to their ninth straight loss and would have pulled Wisconsin to within ½ game of the Cougars for sixth place in the Western Division.
IT’S ONLY HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME: Gennett went 0-for-3 last night. It was the second consecutive game without a hit for the Wisconsin second baseman. The only other time that Gennett has gone two straight games without a hit this season was April 18 & 19.
BE PREPARED: The Rattlers start a four game series with the Kernels tonight. Cedar Rapids is 18-for-20 in stolen base attempts over the six games played between the teams this season.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the Midwest League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In 2009, the Kernels went 72-66 and made the playoffs. Cedar Rapids was 40-30 in the first half and won the Western Division Wild Card. They swept Peoria in the first round of the playoffs, but lost in three games in the Western Division Championship Series to Burlington. The Kernels are 29-18 and in first place in the Western Division in 2010. They lead Quad Cities by two games. In their most recent series, Cedar Rapids took two out of three games at Peoria. The Kernels are 9-1 in their last ten games.
2009 SEASON SERIES: Wisconsin went 5-10 against the Kernels in 2009. The Rattlers were 4-4 against the Kernels on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium last season.
2010 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 2-4 against the Kernels this season. Wisconsin beat Cedar Rapids two out of three times in a series at Time Warner Cable Field April 20-22. The Kernels swept a three-game series May 7-9 from the Rattlers. The May 7 game was played at Miller Park. The final two games of the series were at Time Warner Cable Field.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .252 as a team. They have scored 230 runs (4.9/game) and hit 21 home runs. The Kernels are hitting .253 as a team. They have scored 253 runs (5.4/game) and hit 30 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.43 while allowing a total of 239 runs (5.1/game) this season. Cedar Rapids pitchers have a team ERA of 3.55 while allowing 196 runs (4.2/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 76 errors. The Kernels defense has committed 53 errors. Wisconsin is 6-12 in road games this season. Cedar Rapids is 14-4 on Perfect Game Field this season.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook placed eight members of the current Cedar Rapids roster on their list of Top 30 prospects in the Angels organization. There are four members of Baseball America’s Top 10 in the Angels system on the Cedar Rapids roster. Outfielder Mike Trout is #4 on the list. Other players in the Top 10 are: Pitchers Garrett Richards (#5), Fabio Martinez (#6), and Tyler Skaggs (#8). Outfielder Randal Grichuk (#7) is currently on the DL. Also on the list are infielder Jean Segura (#13), pitchers Tyler Kehrer (#18) and Jon Bachanov (#19), and catcher Carlos Ramirez (#20).
CEDAR RAPIDS STARTING PITCHER: RHP Ariel Pena was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Angels in 2007. Last season, he was 5-4 in 14 games (six starts) for the Arizona League Angels. Pena had an ERA of 3.83 and struck out 47 while walking 15 over 49-1/3 innings pitched. He just joined the Kernels after making three appearances for Rancho Cucamonga, the Angels California League affiliate, this season. Pena was 0-1 with an 8.71 ERA for the Quakes. Tonight is his first ever appearance against the Rattlers. He went 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three games against the Brewers’ Arizona League affiliate in 2009. He struck out 10 and walked two in nine innings.
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