The Rattlers end their road trip with a loss

MIDLAND, MI — The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers wrapped up an eleven-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons on Sunday at the Dow Diamond. The Timber Rattlers went 3-8 on the two-week trip to Beloit and Great Lakes. The Loons have won ten of their last eleven games to put pressure on the East Division-leading Dayton Dragons.
Great Lakes (38-25) scored a run late in the first inning. They loaded the bases on a walk, a field single and a hit batsman. Imanol Vargas drew on balls to force a run and the Loons led 1-0. Great Lakes has scored a first-inning run in five of the series’ six games.
Wisconsin (34-28) tied the game in the top of the third. Arbert Cipion tripled to start the inning. Ethan Murray drove Cipion in with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
The Rattlers took the lead in the top of the fifth. Tristan Peters walked one with one out and Wes Clarke, who had three hits on Sunday, followed with a single to put the runners on the corners. Joe Gray Jr was next, and he grounded the third. The second pitch to start the potential double play was wild and ended in right field. Peters scored and the Rattlers had the lead. Wisconsin charged with one out, but didn’t cross another run in the inning. Robbie Peto took over on the mound for the Loons and got a strikeout and a deep steal to block three Wisconsin runners.
Former Timber Rattler Kekai Rios hit the first pitch from the bottom of the fifth for a home run for the Loons and the game was tied.
Antoine Kelly, the Rattlers’ starting pitcher, retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth, but walked Vargas to extend the inning to Loons’ RBI leader Jonny DeLuca. Vargas took second on wild pitch and stole third while DeLuca worked the full count. DeLuca lined the field 3-2 left for a brace to score Vargas and the Loons had the lead.
Kelly allowed three runs on four hits with four walks, one batter and six strikeouts in 5-2/3 innings.
Peto threw a perfect seventh and a perfect eighth. He came out for ninth and got the first before stepping on Tristan Peters to put the tying point on board. The walk was the fourth of the game for Peters. Peto got the second out of the inning before the Loons went to the bullpen and called in Ryan Sublette.
Sublette got the final on a right flyout for his fifth save of the season.
Wisconsin blocked twelve runners in the game and went 1 of 12 with runners in scoring position in the game.
The Timber Rattlers are off Monday. They return to action on Tuesday when they start a series against the Quad Cities River Bandits at Fox Cities Stadium’s Neuroscience Group Field. Ryne Moore (2-4, 6.99) is the slated starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Game time is 6:40 p.m.
Celebrate Pride Night at the ballpark on Tuesday. It’s also a Bang for Your Buck party with NEW Manufacturing Alliance and Y100. All fans can enjoy Cher-Make hot dogs and 16-ounce Pepsi products for $2. Those of legal drinking age can purchase 16-ounce national beers for $2.
If you can’t make it to the stadium, the radio broadcast on AM1280, WNAM and internet audio is scheduled to start with the pre-match show at 6:20 p.m. The game is also available to MiLB.tv subscribers.