ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Rattlers lost 5-2 at Peoria. The Chiefs scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning and added two more runs in the two runs on four hits in the seventh inning. Wisconsin got their runs on a home run by Cutter Dykstra.
DANG IT: The Chiefs had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. Hak-Ju Lee’s grounder to first was mishandled for an error that let in the first Peoria run. Logan Watkins grounder to third was misplayed and two more runs scored.
TRACKING IT: The Rattlers have committed 142 errors in 101 games. Those errors have led to 76 unearned runs this season.
CUTTER! Dykstra’s two-run homer in the third inning was his fifth of the season. It was his first homer since July 3 at Burlington.
POWER SURGE: The Timber Rattlers have homered in four straight games. They hit six homers in the nine games of the just completed road trip.
ABOUT THAT: The Timber Rattlers have hit 59 home runs in 101 games during the 2010 season. Wisconsin hit 62 homers in 139 games during the 2009 season.
SOMETHING ABOUT PEORIA: Wisconsin went 0-6 at Peoria in 2010. They were – including 2009 – 1-12 in their last 13 games at O’Brien Field.
END OF THE ROAD: Wisconsin went 4-5 in their 9-game road trip. Wisconsin went 2-1 in West Michigan and 2-1 in South Bend before the series in Peoria.
COMING HOME: The Rattlers start a 7-game homestand tonight. They face the Clinton LumberKings from July 31 to August 2. Peoria is in town from August 3 to August 6.
EJECT! EJECT! EJECT! Dykstra was ejected by base umpire Taro Hamano in the fifth inning of last night’s game. Dykstra argued a close call at first on which he was ruled out by Hamano.
FAMILY: Kentrail Davis missed last night’s game to attend the funeral of his grandfather in Alabama. He is scheduled to rejoin the team on Sunday.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They finished the first half with a record of 37-32 and missed out on one of the two first half playoff spots in the Western Division. Clinton is currently 15-17 in the second half of the season. They trail Kane County by 3-1/2 games for the top playoff spot in the second half. They are a ½ game behind Beloit and Peoria for the second half wild card spot. The LumberKings are coming off a three-game series at home against Cedar Rapids in which they dropped two of three.
FAMILIAR FACES: There are six former Timber Rattlers players and one former Timber Rattlers manager on the current Clinton roster. Pitchers Jose Jimenez and Ryan Moorer, catcher Blake Ochoa, infielder Luis Nunez, and outfielders Daniel Carroll and Kalian Sams are the players. Terry Pollreisz, who managed the Rattlers in 2008, is the hitting coach for Clinton
2010 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers and LumberKings played six games in their season series during the first half. Clinton went 2-1 at Time Warner Cable Field in a set from April 11-13. The Timber Rattlers went 2-1 at Alliant Energy Field in a series from June 15-17.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .254 as a team. They have scored 476 runs (4.7/game) and hit 59 home runs. The LumberKings are hitting .248 as a team. They have scored 474 runs (4.7/game) and hit 91 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.46 while allowing a total of 506 runs (5.0/game) this season. Clinton pitchers have a team ERA of 3.50 while allowing a total of 416 runs (4.1/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 142 errors. The LumberKings defense has committed 116 errors. Wisconsin is 22-28 in home games this season. Clinton is 21-26 on the road in 2010.
PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook placed four members of the current Clinton roster on their list of Top 30 prospects in the Seattle organization before the 2010 season. Infielders Nick Franklin (#9) and Mario Martinez (#12) are the highest rated players. Outfielder James Jones (#20) and infielder Gabriel Noriega (#24) are also on the list.
CLINTON STARTING PITCHER: RHP Erasmo Ramirez was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of El Salvador in 2007. He spent the last two seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League. In 2009, Ramirez was 11-1 in 14 games (13 starts) with a 0.51ERA, 80 strikeouts, and five walks in 88 innings. In his start prior to today, Ramirez won at Lansing on July 25 by pitching eight shutout innings and allowing just three hits in a 3-0 Clinton victory. Ramirez, who was a Midwest League All-Star for the Western Division, has made one other appearance against the Rattlers. On June 17 at Clinton, Wisconsin scored two runs (one earned) on eight hits over seven innings against Ramirez. The LumberKings won the game 3-2, but Ramirez, who struck out six, was not involved in the decision.
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