Published: August 07, 2008 11:21 am            

Timber Rattlers rally past L-Kings

Clinton falls to Wisconsin after holding 4-0 lead

CLINTON — For the second straight night the Clinton LumberKings saw their lead slip away late in the game, but this time the LumberKings didn’t have enough magic to come back dropping the game 5-4 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Midwest League action.

Michael Main had another dazzling start by going six shutout innings while only giving up four hits. Main also had six strikeouts in the no decision.

The LumberKings jumped out to an early one run lead in the second. Tim Smith led off with a walk. Smith stole second while Miguel Alfonzo was at the dish and Alfonzo then singled to left that scored Smith from second.

The LumberKings went up by a pair in the fourth with Jonathan Greene leading off with a single to left. Brett Lorin, the Rattlers starting pitcher, uncorked a wild pitch that moved Greene to second.

With two outs, Jose Felix got his second hit of the game and his first RBI by singling on a comebacker to the pitcher that caromed far enough away that it scored Greene from second.

The next inning, the L-Kings saw their lead grow again. Andres James doubled for the sixth time this season down the left field line and Engel Beltre made the productive out by grounding out to second that allowed James to go to third. Davis Stoneburner collected on the RBI opportunity by flying out to right to score James and give Clinton the 3-0 lead.

The LumberKings would score for the third consecutive inning sixth.

Smith led off with a ground single up the middle. On the next two pitches Smith stole second then third. Felix struck again with one out as he singled to right. Felix went 3-for-4 on the night with two RBIs.

Going into the eighth the LumberKings had a comfortable four nothing lead.

Daniel Carroll led off with a walk for the Rattlers followed by a pass ball to move him to second. Denny Almonte then walked. Ron Garth struck out for out number one.

Clinton manager Mike Micucci brought in lefty Ryan Turner to replace Fabio Castillo who had pitched the inning before and had started the eighth.

The first man Turner saw singled to right as Carroll scored and a fielding error by Kyle Murphy moved Almonte to third.

Alex Liddi singled to right to score Almonte and move Dunigan to second.

A wild pitch by Turner moved both runners up a bag. Joe White popped out to Greene in foul territory for the second out.

Micucci, for the second time in the frame, went to the pen and this time brought in Chris Dennis. Dennis would walk Alex Meneses to load the bases. Israel Nunez got a break from the home plate umpire on an 0-2 pitch to make it 1-2 and the very next pitch Nunez doubled down the left field line to score Dunigan and Liddi to tie the game up at four. Maximo Mendez bunted as the ball just got passed Dennis that allowed Meneses to score the go ahead run.

In the bottom half of the inning, the LumberKings had an opportunity to tie the game up with the bases loaded, but fell short. The inning itself lasted almost an hour.

The bullpen combined to give up five runs and four walks. They also gave up six hits.

The LumberKings ran all over the Rattlers by swiping seven bases. Three by Smith and one by Felix the catcher.

The LumberKings look to take at least a split of the series tonight when Jorge Quintero takes the mound. Quintero is 5-6 with an ERA of 6.48.

Game time is set for 7 p.m.

TIMBER RATTLERS 5, CLINTON 4

WISCONSIN CLINTON

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Carroll rf 4 1 0 0 Beltre cf 5 0 0 0

Almonte lf 4 1 1 0 Stonebrnr 2b 4 0 0 1

Garth 2b 5 0 1 0 Moreland 1b 3 0 1 0

Dunigan 1b 4 1 2 1 Greene 3b 5 1 1 0

Liddi 3b 5 1 2 1 Smith, T dh 3 2 1 0

White dh 4 0 0 0 Alfonzo, M lf 3 0 1 1

Colina ss 1 0 0 0 Felix, J c 4 0 3 2

Meneses ss 1 1 0 0 Murphy, K rf 3 0 0 0

Nunez, I c 4 0 2 2 James, A ss 3 1 2 0

Mendez, M cf 3 0 2 1 Main p 0 0 0 0

Lorin p 0 0 0 0 Castillo p 0 0 0 0

Morrer p 0 0 0 0 Turner p 0 0 0 0

Dilone p 0 0 0 0 Dennis p 0 0 0 0

Jimenez, J p 0 0 0 0

Harmon p 0 0 0 0

Dunbar p 0 0 0 0



Totals 35 5 10 5 33 4 9 4





Wisconsin 000 000 050 —5

Clinton 010 111 000 —4

E—Murphy. DP—Wisconsin 1, Clinton 1. LOB—Wisconsin 9, Clinton 9. 2B—Garth, Nunez, Felix, James. SB—Liddi, Mendez 2, Dunigan, James, Smith 3, Alfonzo, Felix. CS—Mendez. SF—Stoneburner.

IP H R ER BB SO

Wisconsin

Lorin 3 2/3 4 2 2 2 6

Moorer 1 2/3 4 2 2 0 1

Dilone (W, 2-2) 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 2

Jimenez 2/3 0 0 0 1 1

Harmon 0 0 0 0 2 0

Dunbar (S, 4) 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 0

Clinton

Main 6 4 0 0 2 6

Castillo 1 1/3 0 2 2 3 3

Turner 1/3 2 2 2 0 0

Dennis (L, 4-4) 1 1/3 4 1 1 1 1

WP—Lorin, Dilone, Castillo, Turner. Time—3:28. Attendance—901.

        

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