GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and Peoria Chiefs needed extra innings to decide Friday’s game at Neuroscience Group Field. The Chiefs broke a 5-5 tie with two runs in the top of the tenth and held off the Rattlers in the bottom of the tenth for a 7-5 victory.
The Timber Rattlers (25-21), who scored thirteen runs on eleven hits on Thursday night, kept on hitting at the start of Friday’s game as they collected three runs on five hits.
Josiah Ragsdale, Andrew Fischer, and Eric Bitonti started the inning with singles. Bitonti’s single drove in Ragsdale and sent Fischer to third. A fielder’s choice from Daniel Dickinson got Bitonti at second but scored Fischer for a 2-0 lead. Dickinson stole second and scored on a single by Luis Castillo. Tayden Hall singled to left with two outs and Castillo at second base. Castillo tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate.
The Chiefs (23-26) replied in the top of the second when Sammy Hernandez hit a two-run home run to left. That home run was the third of the season for Hernandez, all three have been against the Timber Rattlers.
Bitonti blasted a solo home run to the boardwalk above the Peoria bullpen in left-center with one out in the bottom of the third.
Luis Pino homered in the top of the fourth inning for the Chiefs and Wisconsin’s lead was back down to one run.
Ragsdale opened the Wisconsin fifth with a double. Dickinson added to the Rattlers advantage with a two-out RBI.
Peoria rallied to tie the game in their next at bat. Cam Nickens singled and Jalin Flores doubled to start the sixth. A wild pitch by starting pitcher Ethan Dorchies allowed Nickens to score and Flores to take third. Tre Richardson III tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right.
Both teams had a chance to take the lead in the ninth. Sammy Hernandez hit a lead-off double for the Chiefs against reliever Jack Seppings in the top of the ninth. Seppings got the first out on a popup, caught Hernandez off second for a rundown on a grounder back to the mound, and struck out Christian Martin for the final out.
The Rattlers chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth began when Tayden Hall drew a lead-off walk against Dominic Freeberger. Josh Adamczewski was called on to pinch-hit with one out and Freeberger threw a wild pitch to move Hall to second. Hall would stay there as Freeberger got a strikeout and a grounder to second and the game went to the tenth.
Martin started the inning at second as the placed runner and only made third when Jesus Baez hit a hit pop fly down the line in right that landed out of the reach of Luis Castillo for a double. Nickens drove in Martin with a sacrifice fly that also moved Baez to third base. That was key as Flores hit a grounder to Bitonti to first, but the throw home was not handled and Baez scored to make it 7-5.
Ragsdale was the placed runner at second in the bottom of the tenth for the Rattlers. Fischer brought the crowd to its feet with a deep drive to center that looked to be a game-tying homer. However, the ball dropped into the glove of Pino just short of the wall for the out. Freeberger struck out Bitonti but hit Dickinson to bring Castillo to the plate as the potential winning run.
Freeberger and Castillo battled to a full count before the Chiefs hurler got Castillo to chase for strike three to end the game.
Game six of the series is Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field. The Timber Rattlers have Jason Woodward (1-0, 5.63) as their scheduled starting pitcher. Peoria plans on Jacob Odle, who will make his Midwest League debut, to make the start. Game time is set for 6:40pm.
Magic is in the air for Harry PotterTM Night on Saturday. All members of Gryffindor™, Hufflepuff™, Ravenclaw™ or Slytherin™ are invited to an exclusive experience that will bring Harry Potter™ magic to Neuroscience Group Field. The Timber Rattlers players and coaches will get in on the act by wearing jerseys worthy of a group of Wizards. These jerseys are available in an online, charity auction at this link. After the game, we have a fireworks display and Kids Run the Bases for children twelve and under presented by Meijer.
If you can’t make it to the ballpark, there are several options to catch the action. Newstalk 93.9 WOSH and internet audio has the radio broadcast starting with the Community Blood Center Pregame Show at 6:20pm. The Spot Green Bay 32 will televise the game starting at 6:30pm. Bally Sports Live will have the game on their app.