GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were the beneficiaries of a strong start from Josh Knoth and another home run from Braylon Payne to defeat the Lansing Lugnuts 9-0 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Neuroscience Group Field.
Payne gave the Timber Rattlers (53-43 overall, 18-15 second half) the lead with a one-out, solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Payne, who has hit three homers in his last three games, has 21 on the season to give him the Midwest League lead and move him to within one homer of the Wisconsin home run record.
The Timber Rattlers staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth with help from the Lugnuts defense. Yannic Walther walked with one out, but he was still at first base with two away. Payne and Daniel Dickinson reached on back-to-back infield grounders that were misplayed for errors to load the bases. Lansing starter Steven Echevarria walked Eric Bitonti on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run. Luis Castillo followed with a two-run double for a 4-0 lead.
Echavarria’s game ended after a walk to Tayden Hall reloaded the bases.
Filippo Di Turi greeted reliever Mitch Myers with a two-run single for a 6-0 lead. Wisconsin sent eleven men to the plate in the frame with seven in a row reaching after two outs.
Knoth was electric. The Wisconsin starting pitcher struck out seven, allowed three hits, and walked one over six scoreless innings.
Lansing (41-56, 12-21) had two chances to get to Knoth.
In the fourth inning, a one-out double by Ali Camarillo and a walk to Jake Reinisch put two runners on in a one-run game.. Knoth struck out the next batter for the second out. Then, the Lugnuts attempted a double steal with Walther, the Wisconsin catcher throwing out Reinisch as the trail runner at second base for the final out of the inning.
In the sixth inning, Dylan Fien reached on a two-out error. Camarillo followed with a single to left. Fien took third on the play and an errant throw allowed Camarillo to take second base. Knoth received a visit from pitching coach Pat McGuff struck out Reinisch for the final out of his start. Knoth set a new professional high for innings pitched in a game to earn the quality start.
Wisconsin added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Eric Bitonti had an RBI double. Castillo picked up his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly. Tayden Hall capped the scoring with an RBI triple.
José Nova pitched the top of the seventh and worked around a one-out single to close out the Rattlers second straight shutout of the Lugnuts and eighth shutout of the season.