Rattlers Offense Pulls Away Late in Cedar Rapids
April 24, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers offense came to life on Thursday night to defeat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 13-5 at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin broke a 4-4 tie with two runs in the eighth and tacked on seven in the ninth to earn their first win of the series against the Kernels.
The Kernels (11-6) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second inning. Nate Baez drove in two runs with a single for the early lead. Chandler Welch, the Wisconsin starter got the next batter to ground into a 5-3 double play. However, an infield single by Caden Kendle extended the inning. Kaelen Culpepper followed with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
Wisconsin (6-12) stormed back with a rally on four straight hits with one out in the third. Eduardo Garcia, Jadher Areinamo, and Blake Burke had consecutive singles to load the bases. Matt Wood unloaded the bases with a line drive homer to right for a grand slam and a 4-3 lead. The slam was the second of the season by a Timber Rattler.
Cedar Rapids tied the game in the bottom of the third as Danny De Andrade singled home Billy Amick. The Kernels had two on with one out after that game-tying hit by De Andrade. However, Welch retired the next two batters to deny the Kernels the lead.
Welch also worked a perfect fourth and pitched around a lead-off single in the fifth to keep the score tied.
The Rattlers had a chance to go in front in the top of the seventh against Kernels reliever Sam Perez, who walked Garcia and Areinamo on eight straight pitches with one out in the seventh. Perez got the second out with a strikeout and Wood was robbed of a run-scoring hit on a fine, back-handed pick by Nate Baez at first base.
Zach Peek, the first Rattler out of the bullpen, kept the game tied with three strikeouts over two perfect innings to send the game to the eighth inning still tied 4-4.
Juan Baez opened the Wisconsin eighth with a single against Gabriel Yanez. He was still at first with two outs. Daniel Guilarte coaxed a walk from Yanez to keep the inning alive. Then, Yhoswar Garcia singled to left to drive in Baez with the go-ahead run. Eduardo Garcia followed with a single to score Guilarte for a 6-4 lead.
The Kernels made Rattlers reliever Jeferson Figueroa work to keep that two-run cushion. Figueroa retired the first two batters of the eighth before DeAndrade doubled. Then, Nate Baez worked a deep count by fouling off five straight 2-2 pitches. Figueroa missed with the next pitch to run the count full. Baez fouled off two more pitches before flying out to right on the thirteenth pitch of the at bat.
Wisconsin blew the game open in the ninth inning as they sent thirteen batters to the plate and scored seven runs. Burke started the frame with a long, loud double to deep center. Juan Baez was hit by a pitch with one out. Hedbert Perez cashed in both pinch-runner Jheremy Vargas and Baez with a triple. Perez would score moments later on a balk by Juan Mendez to make it 9-4.
The next three batters reached to reload the bases and knock Mendez out of the game. Juan Mercedes entered from the Kernels bullpen and got the second out with a strikeout. Then, he walked Areinamo to force in a run. Vargas, batting in Burke's spot in the order, drove in two runs with a single. A walk to Wood reloaded the bases and another walk to Baez forced in the final run of the frame for a 13-4 lead
Jesus Broca made his Timber Rattlers debut as he came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. Broca got the first out, but an error, a single, and a walk loaded the bases for Cedar Rapids. Broca walked Amick to force in a run. However, he did not let the inning get out of hand. Broca got Gabriel Gonzalez to ground into the game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Wisconsin had scored thirteen runs in their last five games before their outburst on Thursday night.
Both Garcias, Burke, Areinamo, and Perez had two hits in the game as the Rattlers set a single-game high for hits in a game this season with fourteen.
Game four of the series is Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Bishop Letson (0-0, 2.45) is set to start for the Timber Rattlers. Cedar Rapids has named Alejandro Hidalgo (0-0, 6.55) as their starting pitcher. Game time is 6:35pm. The radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio starts with the pregame show at 6:15pm. The game is also available MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live.
R H E
WIS 004 000 027 - 13 14 1
CR 031 000 001 - 5 10 1
HOME RUN:
WIS:
Matt Wood (1st, GRAND SLAM in 3rd inning off Chase Chaney, 1 out)
WP: Zach Peek (2-1)
LP: Gabriel Yanez (1-1)
TIME: 3:05
ATTN: 778
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