June 3, 2010: Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Fort Wayne TinCaps beat the Timber Rattlers 4-3. Wisconsin committed a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh inning to allow the TinCaps to score a pair of runs and take a 3-2 lead. Fort Wayne added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning and held off the Rattlers in the ninth. Wisconsin committed three errors in the game last night and they lead the league with 89 fielding miscues in 2010.

STRONG START: Khris Davis launched a two-out solo home run in the top of the first inning to put the Rattlers up 1-0. Davis is tied with Chris Dennis for the team lead in home runs with six.

COME WITH ME AND ESCAPE: Rattlers starting pitcher Nick Bucci retired the side in order in the bottom of the first. He worked with at least one runner on base over the rest of his 6-2/3 inning outing. Bucci kept the TinCaps off the scoreboard through the first five.

TWO-RUN LEAD: Scooter Gennett’s RBI single in the top of the sixth put the Rattlers up 2-0.

TINCAP ALLEY: Fort Wayne scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth, scored twice on errors in the seventh, and one time on an RBI single in the eighth. Bucci was charged with one of the errors in the seventh inning and was charged with three runs (two earned) to take the loss.

DAVIS! Davis started the Wisconsin ninth inning with a triple off Nick Schumacher. He scored on a grounder by Cameron Garfield, but that would be as close as Wisconsin would get. Schumacher has 11 saves this season and is tied for third in the Midwest League in that category.

YOU HAVE TO FIGURE IT WILL BE CLOSE: Last night was the second straight game decided by one run in the series between the Rattlers and TinCaps. Wisconsin has been in 17 one-run games this season, including six of the first nine games on this road trip. Fort Wayne has been involved in 27 one-run games, including the last seven games that they have played.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Fort Wayne TinCaps are the Midwest League affiliate of the San Diego Padres. In 2009, the TinCaps went 94-46 in the regular season. In the playoffs, the TinCaps defeated South Bend 2-1 in the first round and Great Lakes 2-1 in the Eastern Division Finals. Fort Wayne won their first ever Midwest League Championship by sweeping Burlington 3-0 in the Finals. They are 28-26 and in fourth place in the Eastern Division. They trail first place Lake County by 7.5 games. The TinCaps are 5.5 games behind Great Lakes for the first half Wild Card.

2009 SEASON SERIES: Wisconsin went 0-6 against the TinCaps in 2009. The Rattlers were 0-3 against Parkview Field last season in a series from July 28-30. Fort Wayne won 4-2, 4-3, and 9-2.

2010 SEASON SERIES: Due to the new Midwest League schedule in 2010, these three games at Fort Wayne are the only three games Wisconsin and the TinCaps will play in the regular season. The teams have split the first two games of the series.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .249 as a team. They have scored 244 runs (4.6/game) and hit 25 home runs. The TinCaps are hitting .252 as a team. They have scored 249 runs (4.6/game) and hit 24 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.35 while allowing a total of 262 runs (4.9/game) this season. Fort Wayne pitchers have a team ERA of 3.72 while allowing 232 runs (4.3/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 89 errors. The TinCaps defense has committed 82 errors. Wisconsin is 7-17 in road games this season. Fort Wayne is 17-12 at Parkview Field this season.

FORT WAYNE STARTING PITCHER: LHP Mike Watt was originally the 2nd round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2007 draft out of Capistrano Valley (CA) High School. Watt came to the San Diego organization as part of a 2008 trade that sent Greg Maddux to Los Angeles. Watt was 7-4 with a 4.17ERA in 31 games (18 starts) in 2009 with the TinCaps. He made two starts in the Midwest League playoffs. Watt was the starting and winning pitcher in Game Three of the Finals against Burlington to clinch Fort Wayne’s first MWL Championship. In his start prior to tonight, Watt allowed one run on six hits in 5-2/3 innings at Bowling Green on May 29, but he was not involved in the decision. Watt made one relief appearance against the Rattlers in 2009. He pitched three innings of scoreless, hitless relief and struck out seven on April 14 at Time Warner Cable Field.