ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps 6-4. Scooter Gennett had three hits, including a home run, and two RBI to pace the Wisconsin offense. Maverick Lasker tossed 5-2/3 innings, allowed three runs (one earned) and picked up his third win of the season.
TWO-OUT LIGHTNING: Wisconsin had two outs and none aboard in the top of the second inning last night. Michael Marseco drew a walk. Kyle Dhanani singled. D’Vontrey Richardson singled to drive in Marseco. Gennett singled to score Dhanani and he took second on the throw to the plate. Khris Davis drove in both Richardson and Gennett with the fourth straight two-out single by the Rattlers for a 4-0 lead.
PERMISSION TO BUZZ THE TOWER: Lasker gave up no runs on two hits through the first 4-1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked none.
THEN…Rymer Liriano singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth. The Rattlers appealed the play since Rymer had batted out of turn in the second inning. After a 16 minute delay, the play was upheld. After the delay, Lasker gave up a single. Then, an error was committed to load the bases. Lasker would walk two of the next three batters to force in a pair of runs. In the sixth, Lasker gave up a run on a two-out triple by Dean Anna.
SCOOTER POWER! Gennett hit a leadoff homer in the seventh to put the Rattlers in front 5-3. Gennett has three home runs this season. All three are on the road.
IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES: Jon Pokorny relieved Damon Krestalude with runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. He threw a wild pitch to let in one run, but got the final out of the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save. Pokorny has inherited 16 runners in 2010 and only two have scored.
FORT FUN: Gennett’s three hits last night put him at 6-for-13 with three RBI in the series against the TinCaps. Gennett is on a six-game hitting streak and is 13-for-25 ( .520) during the streak.
ROAD REPORT: By taking two of three from the TinCaps, the Rattlers won their second series on this road trip. The Rattlers also took two of three from Kane County. Cedar Rapids swept a four game set from the Rattlers to put Wisconsin’s record at 4-6 in the first 10 games of this 13 game road trip.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Lake County Captains are the Midwest League affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. In 2009, the Captains were in the South Atlantic League. The Captains finished their final season in the South Atlantic League with a 71-66 record. They were 31-36 in the first half and 40-30 in the second half. The Captains did not make the playoff in 2009. In 2010, Lake County holds the best record in the Midwest League at 36-18. They are in first place in the Eastern Division and hold a three game lead over the Great Lakes Loons. In the Eastern Division Wild Card race, they are 5.5 games up on Lansing. The Captains are managed by Ted Kubiak, who was a member of the original Milwaukee Brewers team in 1970. Kubiak managed Cleveland’s Arizona League affiliate in 2009.
2010 SEASON SERIES: These games are the first ever meetings between the Rattlers and the Captains.
MEETING THE TRIBE: Tonight is the first time the Rattlers are facing an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Lake County is the first Midwest League affiliate of the Indians since 1988. Cleveland was affiliated with Waterloo from 1979-1988.
A FEW TIE-INS: The Appleton Papermakers, a team that played in the Class-D Wisconsin State League from 1940-1953, were affiliated with the Indians in 1941, 1942, and 1946. Mike Garcia, a member of the Appleton Baseball Hall of Fame, pitched for the Papermakers in 1942 at the age of 18 and was 10-10 with a 3.94ERA. Garcia went on to win 142 games for the Indians from 1948-1959. Also, current Cleveland players Shin-Soo Choo, Luis Valbuena, and Asdrubal Cabrera played in the Midwest League for the Timber Rattlers when the team was affiliated with the Seattle Mariners.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .251 as a team. They have scored 250 runs (4.6/game) and hit 26 home runs. The Captains are hitting .247 as a team. They have scored 253 runs (4.7/game) and hit 29 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.30 while allowing a total of 266 runs (4.9/game) this season. Lake County pitchers have a team ERA of 3.53 while allowing 204 runs (3.8/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 90 errors. The Captains defense has committed 53 errors. Wisconsin is 8-17 in road games this season. Lake County is 18-11 at Classic Park this season.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook placed no members of the current Captains roster on their list of top 30 prospects in the Cleveland organization.
LAKE COUNTY STARTING PITCHER: RHP Trey Haley was the 2nd round pick of the Indians in the 2008 draft out of San Augustine (TX) High School. He was 4-8 with a 5.56 ERA in 19 games (16 starts) with 65 walks and 57 strikeouts in 77.2 innings for the Captains in 2009. Haley is 4-1 with a 3.65ERA and 24 walks and 41 strikeouts in 56.2 innings for the Captains this season. In his start prior to this evening, Haley took the loss at Great Lakes and allowed three runs on five hits with five walks in five innings on May 30. Tonight is his first appearance against the Timber Rattlers and an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
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