LAST ACTION: The Timber Rattlers wrapped up a suspended game Saturday and played a regularly scheduled game on Sunday at Lake County. The Captains defeated Wisconsin 8-4 in the completion of Saturday’s game. The Timber Rattlers rebounded for a 4-1 victory in the regularly scheduled game.
GAME ONE RECAP: The Rattlers trailed 4-2 on Saturday when the game was suspended. Michael Marseco tripled and scored on a D’Vontrey Richardson grounder in the top of the fifth inning when the game restarted. But, Lake County scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead.
GAME TWO RECAP: Kyle Heckathorn tossed a complete game and Cutter Dykstra homered for Wisconsin to pick up the win. Heckathorn allowed one unearned run after two errors in the bottom of the third inning. He held the Captains to four hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out six.
END OF THE ROAD: Wisconsin went 5-8 on their just completed 13-game road trip. The Rattlers were 2-1 at Kane County, 0-4 at Cedar Rapids, and 2-1 at Fort Wayne in the first 10 game of the trip.
CONSISTENCY: Heckathorn has pitched seven innings in each of his last four starts. He has a quality start (6IP with three or fewer earned runs) in each of his last five starts. Over his last five starts, Heckathorn is 3-0 with an ERA of 0.79. He has pitched 34 innings, allowed eight runs (three earned) on 29 hits with two walks and 22 strikeouts. Heckathorn has not walked a batter in 21-1/3 innings.
THE LAST TIME: Wisconsin had one complete game in 2009. Daniel Meadows pitched eight innings in a loss at Peoria on July 27.
HEY, NOW! YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: The Midwest League announced the rosters for the 2010 All-Star Game on Tuesday morning. Wisconsin has placed four players on the Western Division squad, including two starters. Khris Davis was elected as a starter in the outfield. Scooter Gennett will be the starting second baseman in the game. Pitchers Nick Bucci and Jake Odorizzi have also been voted as members of the team. The game will be played at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 22.
ANOTHER LAST TIME: The last time Wisconsin had two starting position players in a Midwest League All-Star Game was 2002. Shin-Soo Choo was a starting outfielder and Greg Dobbs was the starting infielder for the Western Division team in Lansing.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Bowling Green Hot Rods are the Midwest League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2009, the Hot Rods were in the South Atlantic League. They finished their final season in the South Atlantic League with a 64-74 record. They were 34-36 in the first half and 30-38 in the second half. Bowling Green did not make the playoff in 2009. In 2010, the Hot Rods is 23-33. They are in sixth place in the Eastern Division and are 14.5 games behind first place Lake County. They are 11.5 games behind Great Lakes for the first half Eastern Division Wild Card. The Hot Rods are 2-3 in five games against the Western Division. Bowling Green split two games with Clinton before the finale of that series was rained out. The Hot Rods went 1-2 in a three game set with Kane County.
2010 SEASON SERIES: These games are the first ever meetings between the Rattlers and Bowling Green.
CATCHING SOME RAYS: This series is the first time the Rattlers are facing an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since the 2006 season, During that season, the Rays were affiliated with the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. Lake County is the first Midwest League affiliate of the Indians since 1988. Cleveland was affiliated with the Waterloo, Iowa franchise from 1979-1988.
NATIVE SON: Bowling Green starting pitcher Aaron Dott is from Green Lake, Wisconsin. Dott was the 31st round selection of the Rays in 2009. He was selected out of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Last season, Dott was 1-4 for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the New York-Penn League. So far in 2010, Dott is 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA in four starts for the Hot Rods.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .249 as a team. They have scored 263 runs (4.6/game) and hit 27 home runs. The Hot Rods are hitting .254 as a team. They have scored 211 runs (3.8/game) and hit 23 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.33 while allowing a total of 281 runs (4.9/game) this season. Bowling Green pitchers have a team ERA of 3.90 while allowing 255 runs (4.6/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 93 errors. The Hot Rods defense has committed 54 errors. Wisconsin is 12-17 at home this season. Bowling Green is 10-16 in road games this season.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook placed five members of the current Hot Rods roster on their list of top 30 prospects in the Tampa Bay organization. Pitcher Alex Colome (#7) is the highest rated player. Pitchers Kyle Lobstein (#11), Wilking Rodriguez (#17), and Jason McEachern (#25) are joined on the list by outfielder Ty Morrison (#14).
BOWLING GREEN STARTING PITCHER: LHP Kyle Lobstein was a second round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2008 draft out of Coconino (AZ) High School. He signed at the deadline and did not make his pro debut until 2009. Last season with the Hudson Valley Renegades, Lobstein was 3-5 with a 2.58ERA and 74 strikeouts in 14 starts. This season, Lobstein is 2-3 with a 5.36ERA in 10 starts for the Hot Rods. In his start prior to this evening, Lobstein lost to Clinton on June 2. He allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits over four innings. Lobstein gave up four homers in that game. Tonight is the first time he will face Wisconsin and an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
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