Link Report for Friday, April 23rd -- Latest: Info on TV replays from Thursday's Rattlers game

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: RHP Kameron Loe at home vs. Oklahoma City (Rangers), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Huntsville: LHP Chris Cody at West Tenn (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Brevard County: RHP Trey Watten at Dunedin (Blue Jays), 6:00 PM gametime

Live Audio Link (Blue Jays' feed)

 

Wisconsin: RHP Maverick Lasker at home vs. Beloit (Twins), 6:20 PM pre-game; 6:35 gametime; RHP Kyle Heckathorn scheduled to tandem in relief

Live Audio Link

 

***

 

As we hinted at earlier, it does not appear to be a rotating tandem with Lasker and Heckathorn in terms of swapping starting assignments...

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

 

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nashville 9 6 .600 - 2-5 7-1 L1 
Memphis 8 7 .533 1.0 4-3 4-4 W4 
Iowa 6 9 .400 3.0 3-5 3-4 L3 
Omaha 6 9 .400 3.0 2-6 4-3 L1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tennessee 12 2 .857 - 4-1 8-1 W6 
Huntsville 9 5 .643 3.0 3-2 6-3 L1 
Carolina 6 8 .429 6.0 2-7 4-1 L4 
Chattanooga 6 8 .429 6.0 5-4 1-4 W2 
West Tenn 5 9 .357 7.0 2-7 3-2 W1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clearwater 9 6 .600 - 7-1 2-5 W1 
Dunedin 9 6 .600 - 5-2 4-4 W4 
Lakeland 8 6 .571 0.5 5-1 3-5 L1 
Tampa 8 7 .533 1.0 5-3 3-4 L1 
Daytona 6 9 .400 3.0 2-5 4-4 W1 
Brevard County 4 10 .286 4.5 3-5 1-5 L5

[Mass Haas]

MID Western (click column headers to sort)
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Quad Cities	11	4	.733	-	5-1	6-3	7-3	L1
	Peoria	10	5	.667	1.0	6-0	4-5	8-2	W7
	Beloit	8	7	.533	3.0	5-4	3-3	6-4	W1
	Cedar Rapids	7	8	.467	4.0	4-2	3-6	5-5	L2
	Clinton	7	8	.467	4.0	5-4	2-4	4-6	L1
	Wisconsin	7	8	.467	4.0	5-4	2-4	4-6	W2
	Kane County	6	9	.400	5.0	5-4	1-5	3-7	L4
	Burlington	4	11	.267	7.0	3-3	1-8	3-7	W1

[Mass Haas]

Check for updated links shortly before game time for media notes --

PDF documents:

Nashville Media Notes

Huntsville Media Notes

***http://rattler-radio.blogspot.com/Rattler Radio:

Game notes

Tonight's starting pitcher

Starting lineup

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

Interesting for you camera buffs out there...

[Mass Haas]

Catching up from last night --

 

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

 

Streaks end

End of the road for Lorenzo Cain and Stars

 

A pair of five-game streaks were traded at Pringles Park Thursday night, and sadly, another streak came to an end....... Lorenzo Cain's 13-game hit streak, the longest from the start of a season since 1999, and one shy of Justin Bowles' 1998 record (A's organization), came to a stop. Michael Pineda and former Star Steve Bray combined to stop the Stars, 8-1, ending the Stars' five-game win streak and stopping West Tennessee's five-game futility fit........ The Diamond Jaxx also put an end to a five-game streak of homerless games in the 1st inning when Carlos Peguero hit a bomb off Michael Bowman (2-1, 4.61). It came on a 1-1 pitch and sailed out to right field -- hard enough to make you think it landed somewhere on I-40...... The Stars answered back in the 2nd as Lee Haydel singled home Taylor Green with two outs. Taylor had hit his 10th double of the month, the first Stars hitter to come up with that April figure since Steve Scarborough in 2002, on a 3-2 pitch that went all the way to wall in right field........ After Chris Errecart grounded out to 3rd baseman Alex Liddi, Haydel go a 1-2 pitch a little high, but over the plate, and chopped it up the middle, bringing in what would be the Stars' only run.

 

Slugger Michael Wilson, in his 4th season with WT, put the Diamond Jaxx in front to stay in the 4th inning after Dustin Ackley's leadoff double to left. Wilson battled Bowman, fouling off pitch-after-pitch of a 2-2 count, getting a ball up high and inside, then finding the 12th one to his liking, pulling it deep to left field, barely fair. The bomb bounced off the clubhouse giving the Diamond Jaxx a 3-1 lead. They never gave it up........ Pineda, 8th among Southern League ERA leaders, fought off Huntsville challenges in the 4th and 5th innings before giving way to Bray, who pitched for the Stars in 2006. Bray (7-8, 3.11 last year for WT) gave up just one hit in three innings of work -- a two-out single by Martin Maldonado in the 7th......... With Zelous Wheeler on 1st after a leadoff single in the 4th, Haydel hit a two-out double deep to the left field corner, but left fielder Joseph Dunigan hit cut-off man Liddi with the throw in, he fired to the plate, and Wheeler was tagged out. The Stars only managed to get one more runner in scoring position the rest of the way after back-to-back singles by Steffan Wilson and Maldonado to leadoff the 5th.

 

The Stars cap off this series Friday night with Chris Cody (2-0, 2.61) facing off against the Mariners' #17 minor league prospect, Steven Hensley. Hensley was hit hard in his three Double-A starts for WT last year, twice by Birmingham, ending the year with an 0-1 record and 7.20 ERA for the D'Jaxx....... Cody is a career 7-1 pitcher for the Stars......... Taylor Green has a seven-game hit streak going, but he has another worth watching -- he's doubled in five straight games -- one short of the club record tied by Jonathan Lucroy last year and set by Mickey Lopez in 2000. Another double would also tied him with the aforementioned Scarborough for the most doubles hit in the first month of the season........ The Stars return home to play Chattanooga, Saturday, but the weather forecast says "washout". Severe weather is expected from the afternoon to the early evening with a strong possibility of tornadic activity in north Alabama.

 

If anybody hasn't seen the major league box scores from Thursday, you might know that the Milwaukee Brewers brutally shutout the Pittsburgh Pirates, 20-0, the first 20-0 game in the major leagues since 1889! Manny Parra drove in the 20th run in the 9th on a single to right. Ryan Braun drove in five runs......... While we're on the major league trail, congratulations to Cole Gillespie, who made his major league debut Wednesday, for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gillespie appeared as a pinch-hitter and doubled off St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter in the 8th inning. He scored, but the D'Backs lost 9-4. Gillespie is the 186th former Huntsville Star to graduate to the majors and the 1st this year.

[TheCrew07]

Check out the peripherals of the starter opposing the T-Rats tonight, his name is Liam Hendriks.

 

Here's a scouting report on him from a very nice Twins blog. Scouting report below quoted from this post.

 

 

SICKELS: Scouting reports indicate that Liam Hendriks has better

stuff than Tippett and he also flashes good command. Is he a

breakthrough candidate for 2010?

NORSETTER: Absolutely. Liam can show four firm pitches with command

and makeup. He is exceptionally competitive. When I was scouting him,

he reminded me a bit of Jeff Suppan in Double-A, back in 1995. Liam

should have at least an average fastball. There is a good chance that

it could be better than that. He is a very good athlete. His father was

an Aussie Rules Football star, and Liam was on track to go that same

route. Fortunately, he chose baseball instead. He has that same drive

and competitiveness that Beresford has. I'm sure that both of them

really believe that they can play in the majors right now. They don't

back down from any situation.

 

 

[TheCrew07]

I missed the first inning of the T-Rats working on audio and listening in to Huntsville's pre game, but it wasn't good, the T-Rats are already down 4-0.

[twobrewers]

Maas -

 

I just wanted to say thanks for posting the tandem starters. It's a pleasant reminder.

[TheCrew07]

Jeff Isom out of the dugout for the second time in this game, this time Kris Davis was HBP, only it wasn't called a HBP.

[TheCrew07]

They just said on the MLB broadcast that Capuano will be starting on Tuesday for BC.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Brevard County 9, Dunedin (Tigers) 7

 

Brevard County Box Score

Manatees get a confidence boost as they snap a five-game losing streak; tied at four in the top of the 5th, the Brevard boys strung together quite a four-run frame --

 

Brevard County Top 5th

• Sergio Miranda triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Sean Shoffit.
  
• Erik Komatsu doubles (7) on a fly ball to left fielder Daniel Perales. Sergio Miranda scores.
  
• Brock Kjeldgaard grounds out, shortstop Tyler Pastronicky to first baseman Jon Talley.
  
• Erik Miller grounds out, second baseman Justin McClanahan to first baseman Jon Talley. Erik Komatsu to 3rd.
  
• Juan Sanchez singles on a line drive to center fielder Sean Shoffit. Erik Komatsu scores.
  
• Michael Roberts singles on a fly ball to right fielder Welinton Ramirez. Juan Sanchez to 3rd.
  
• Shawn Zarraga singles on a fly ball to left fielder Daniel Perales. Juan Sanchez scores. Michael Roberts to 3rd.
  
• Matt Cline singles on a ground ball to pitcher Chad Beck. Michael Roberts scores. Matt Cline to 2nd. Shawn Zarraga advances to 3rd, on throwing error by pitcher Chad Beck.
  
• Josh Prince grounds out, shortstop Tyler Pastronicky to first baseman Jon Talley.

Erik Komatsu went 4-for-5, only a home run shy of a cycle -- Komatsu has 16 hits in his last seven games, with six doubles and a triple! Five other Sea Cows had two hits apiece -- the boys didn't draw a walk all night, but banged out 16 hits; both of Erik Miller's base knocks were doubles; 22-year-old Mike Roberts was behind the plate, we need to see more of that; Shawn Zarraga made his season debut as the designated hitter, 2-for-4 with an RBI; Josh Prince failed to join the party, 0-for-5...

 

On the mound, starter Trey Watten scuffled, allowing seven base hits in 3.1 innings, although two of the four runs he allowed were unearned; lefty Daniel Meadows spared Watten's line a bit by stranding a runner in a two-out effort and was rewarded with the win via the big Manatee rally detailed above; southpaw Brandon Ritchie, who had been identified as a tandem pitcher when rosters were announced, was very strong through his four innings; RHP Buddy Flores allowed two runs in a non-save 9th inning, but the tying run did come to plate before Flores finally held on...

 

Brevard County Game Log

This is one of those game logs where you just take a deep breath and jump in, as you keep track of 31 baserunners...

[Mass Haas]

As the recaps come in over the next hour or so, we'll detail things for you, but it was a big night for Kameron Loe in Nashville, a not-so-big night for Maverick Lasker for the Rattlers, and 1B Chris Errecart is now pitching for the Stars, which is an indication how things went for Chris Cody and Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 3, Oklahoma City (Rangers) 0

Nashville Box Score

The always detailed Sounds' game summary via their site will be out shortly, but we can tell you that Kameron Loe tossed eight scoreless with no walks, allowing six hits, all singles -- impressive; Chris Smith with a perfect 9th for his sixth save; Loe almost didn't get credit for the win, as the game was scoreless until the bottom of the 8th, when Nashville took advantage of some shoddy Redhawk defense and some very effective "small ball", heck, it was "tiny ball"; SS Luis Cruz, surprisingly not-awful at the plate thus far this April, rewarded with a game in the two-hole in the lineup; if you had a left-to-right set-up of Ray Olmedo, Norris Hopper, and Johnny Raburn in your pre-season Nashville outfield pool for April 23rd, you win! Naturally, those three filled the final three spots in the Sounds order tonight -- Sounds pitching had better continue to shine until this squad gets healthy...

 

Nashville Game Log

The winning rally --

 

Nashville Bottom 8th

• Joe Koshansky singles on a ground ball to center fielder Craig Gentry.
  
• Norris Hopper hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by first baseman Chad Tracy. Joe Koshansky to 2nd. Norris Hopper to 1st.
  
• Ray Olmedo singles on a bunt ground ball to pitcher Derek Holland. Joe Koshansky to 3rd. Norris Hopper to 2nd.
  
• Coaching visit to mound.
  
• John Raburn out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Craig Gentry. Joe Koshansky scores.
  
• Eric Farris singles on a fly ball to center fielder Craig Gentry. Norris Hopper to 3rd. Ray Olmedo to 2nd.
  
• Pitcher Change: Pedro Strop replaces Derek Holland.
  
• Coaching visit to mound.
  
• Luis Cruz singles on a ground ball to left fielder Brandon Boggs. Norris Hopper scores. Ray Olmedo to 3rd. Eric Farris to 2nd.
  
• Adam Heether reaches on fielding error by third baseman Matthew Brown. Ray Olmedo scores. Eric Farris to 3rd. Luis Cruz to 2nd.
  
• Erick Almonte grounds into double play, shortstop Esteban German to second baseman Hernan Iribarren to first baseman Chad Tracy. Adam Heether out at 2nd.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Beloit (Twins) 7, Wisconsin 2

BELOIT BOUNCES RATTLERS

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI - Beloit Snappers starting pitcher Liam Hendriks finally gave up a run in a Midwest League. But, his offense more than made up for that run by plating seven runs in a 7-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Friday night at Time Warner Cable Field. Reggie Williams drove in four runs for Beloit. Three Snappers pitchers held the red-hot Wisconsin offense to just three hits.

 

Beloit (9-7) immediately jumped on Rattlers starting pitcher Maverick Lasker. The first two batters of the game singled. Then, Steven Liddle doubled in both runners. Lasker hit the next batter, but struck out the next two. However, a wild pitch had moved two more runners into scoring position. Williams singled both runners home for a 4-0 lead before the Rattlers took their turn at the plate.

 

Wisconsin (7-9) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. Sean Halton doubled to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved Halton to third. Carlos George knocked in Halton with an infield grounder.

 

But, the Snappers added to their lead in the top of the third against Lasker. An RBI single by Danny Rams and a sacrifice fly by Williams made the score 6-1. Williams struck again in the fifth inning with an RBI double off reliever Caleb Thielbar.

 

Hendriks allowed his first run of the season when the Rattlers scored in the second. He gave up one hit and struck out six over five innings against a Timber Rattlers team that boasted the best team batting average in the Midwest League at .280 heading into Friday's game. The Australian right-hander has pitched - including Friday night - 22 innings in 2010. Hendriks has allowed one run on seven hits and struck out 26.

 

The Rattlers tallied the last run of the night in the bottom of the seventh inning against Beloit reliever Ben Tootle. Michael Marseco tripled with one out and George knocked him in with an infield grounder.

 

Kyle Heckathorn pitched well again out of the Wisconsin bullpen. Milwaukee's supplemental first round pick from the 2009 draft struck out three, walked two, and allowed one hit over the final three innings.

 

Game two of the series is Saturday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field. Del Howell (0-1, 18.90) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Daniel Osterbrock (1-1, 3.38) is the scheduled starter for the Snappers. Game time is 1:05 PM.

 

If you can't make it to the game, tune in to AM 1280, WNAM. The Miller Lite Pregame Show starts the broadcast at 12:45 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Kyle Heckathorn's continued strong efforts are very encouraging -- the fact he's in a tandem but not being given starts tells us he's seen as a future reliever but the extra innings at this point are certainly beneficial for the big righty; this is the third affiliate game we've reported on tonight, and we have our first three bases-on-balls, all to Chris Dennis, who continues to shine...

 

Wisconsin Game Log.

[Mass Haas]

Loe Outduels Holland, Sounds Win Homestand Finale

NASHVILLE - Sounds right-hander Kameron Loe worked eight scoreless innings and Nashville plated three late runs in a 3-0 victory over the Oklahoma City RedHawks on Friday evening in front of 6,741 fans at historic Greer Stadium.

The win, Nashville's first shutout of the year, wrapped up the Sounds' first homestand of the season. Nashville (10-6) finished 3-5 during their first eight games at Greer.

Loe (2-1), who lowered his ERA to 3.70 with the stellar outing, allowed six hits and struck out four batters while walking none over his eight scoreless frames in his second quality start of the year.

Loe and Oklahoma starter Michael Holland engaged in a pitcher's duel for much of the evening as the game remained scoreless over the game's first seven frames.

After Loe recorded a scoreless top of the eighth, the Nashville offense finally broke through against Holland (2-1) in the home half of the frame.

The Oklahoma City southpaw, who had allowed only one run through his first three starts, had his streak of 21 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings come to a close as Nashville plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth to break the scoreless deadlock and grab a 3-0 lead.

Joe Koshansky opened the Sounds' eighth with a single to center and moved to second on a Norris Hopper sacrifice. Hopper reached first on the play following a poor throw by first baseman Chad Tracy that drew ex-Sound Hernan Iribarren off the bag. Nashville loaded the bases when Ray Olmedo legged out a bunt single.

Johnny Raburn brought the evening's first run plateward when his sacrifice fly to center scored Koshansky. Eric Farris followed with a single to re-load the bases and chase Holland from the contest.

Nashville shortstop Luis Cruz greeted RedHawks reliever Pedro Stoop with an RBI single to left to double the advantage to 2-0. The Sounds added their third run when Oklahoma City third baseman Matt Brown mishandled an Adam Heether grounder, allowing Olmedo to score.

Closer Chris Smith retired Oklahoma City in order in the top of the ninth to notch his sixth save of the year for Nashville.

The Sounds travel to New Orleans tomorrow for a four-game road trip against the Zephyrs (AAA-Marlins). Left-hander Chuck Lofgren (2-1, 4.50) will start Saturday's 6:00 PM series opener for Nashville and face New Orleans right-hander Rick Vandenhurk (1-0, 2.40).

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Tenn (Mariners) 12, Huntsville 1, 6.5 innings, rain

 

Huntsville Box Score

Mother Nature with her own version of the mercy rule, too bad it wsn't three innings earlier; Chris Cody and Mark Willinsky combined to allow 11 runs through four innings; Donovan Hand gained some semblance of success over the next two innings (one run), and Chris Errecart, as noted above, was set to take the mound, but then the umps called it (actually, according to Gameday, Errecart came in and K'd his only batter faced, but that was taken off the books); Lorenzo Cain starts a new hit streak with a double, the Stars' only extra-base hit, Zelous Wheeler and Taylor Green each singled and walked; Diamond Jaxx smoked five long balls; frustrating we don't know more about the status of RHP Evan Anundsen, still on the DL...

 

Huntsville Game Log

After throwing a 1-2-3 first inning, this for Chris Cody, one of the more disastrous stretches of at-bats we'll see all season, prepare yourself for the onslaught --

 

West Tenn Bottom 2nd

• Mike Wilson homers (5) on a fly ball to left field.
  
• Guillermo Quiroz homers (3) on a fly ball to left field.
  
• Coaching visit to mound.
  
• Johan Limonta singles on a line drive to center fielder Lorenzo Cain.
  
• Alex Liddi singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel. Johan Limonta to 2nd.
  
• Leury Bonilla hit by pitch. Johan Limonta to 3rd. Alex Liddi to 2nd.
  
• Carlos Triunfel hits a grand slam (1) to left field. Johan Limonta scores. Alex Liddi scores. Leury Bonilla scores.
  
• Kuo Hui Lo flies out to left fielder Lee Haydel.
  
• Carlos Peguero singles on a ground ball to right fielder Caleb Gindl.
  
• Dustin Ackley grounds into a force out, second baseman Anderson Machado to shortstop Zelous Wheeler. Carlos Peguero out at 2nd. Dustin Ackley to 1st.
  
• Pitcher Change: Mark Willinsky replaces Chris Cody.
  
• Mike Wilson triples (1) on a fly ball to center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Dustin Ackley scores.
  
• Guillermo Quiroz pops out to shortstop Zelous Wheeler.

[Mass Haas]

Diamond Jaxx use big second inning to roll over Stars

By Aaron Morse / Huntsville Stars

 

The West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (6-9) used a seven-run second inning and slugged five homers in the game to crush the Huntsville Stars (9-6) by a final score of 12-1 in a rain-shortened affair Friday night.

 

Stars starting pitcher Chris Cody (2-1) had been quite effective in his first two outings of the year, and he mowed down the Diamond Jaxx in the first inning. But West Tenn. flexed their muscles in the second as Mike Wilson started things off with a solo homer to left. Then the Diamond Jaxx made it back-to-back jacks with a Guillermo Quiroz bomb. Back-to-back singles followed by a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Carlos Triunfel. He proceeded to clear them with a grand salami. A couple more base hits chased Cody from the game.

 

Mark Willinsky entered the game and pitched effectively at first, and the Stars got one back in the top of the fourth thanks to a Zelous Wheeler RBI single which plated Lorenzo Cain. But Willinsky, fresh off the seven-day DL, ran into trouble in the fourth. Triuenfel reached on an error, and one out later Carlos Peguero cleared the bases with a two-run jack. Willinsky walked Dustin Ackley and Wilson proceeded to blast his second homer of the night.

 

An RBI ground-out from Triunfel in the fifth off reliever Donovan Hand extended the lead to 12-1.

 

The skies opened up after the top of the seventh inning and the game was concluded due to the rainy weather.

 

The Stars managed only four hits off Diamond Jaxx pitchers Steven Hensley and Josh Fields. Cain scored the lone run as he looks to start a new hitting streak after having his 13-gamer broken Thursday night.

 

Huntsville returns to Joe Davis Stadium Saturday night with a 6:00 PM first pitch against the Chattanooga Lookouts. The Stars won their opening series of the year three games to two against Chattanooga. That’s the same margin they’ve now won all three series they’ve played this season. Amaury Rivas (2-0) will be on the mound.

[Mass Haas]

Chris' blog entry a bit unique tonight -- this game wasn't worthy of an official gut check, or has the gut check been retired? Autopsies after each loss? Can't wait for future entries -- blog posts, that is, not autopsies -- that would mean more losses...

[Mass Haas]

Beloit 7, Wisconsin 2 -- and other stuff

 

Brett Christopherson's blog post is loaded tonight -- interesting quotes from Chris Hook on Eric Arnett among other nuggets, be sure to click above..

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Timber Rattlers' hitting binge interrupted in defeat

By Brett Christopherson, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE — The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' sizzling offense had just scratched out a meager three hits, yet the scene playing out in the team's indoor batting cage afterward didn't surprise manager Jeff Isom.

 

There was center fielder D'Vontrey Richardson cracking liners off the tee. And there was third baseman Pete Fatse going over pitches and plate approaches with hitting coach Matt Erickson before taking a few cuts.

 

The Rattlers' bats were finally cooled in a 7-2 Midwest League loss to Beloit on Friday at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. So it was time to get back at it and get things right again.

 

"This left a bad taste in their mouth today, with the way we got three hits tonight," Isom said. "The guys know they're better than that. … We weren't happy with the results, and this team is going to work, there's no question about that.

 

"I get here at one o'clock in the afternoon, and we've got guys already in uniform ready to go and get work in. This team wants to work."

 

Wisconsin came into the game the league leader in team batting average (.280) and extra-base hits (54) and tied atop the league in runs scored (86).

 

The numbers had been even more impressive over the previous five games, with the Rattlers batting .293 and averaging 10 hits and seven runs in winning three of those contests to climb to within a game of the .500 mark.

 

So what happened Friday?

 

"He was a quality pitcher," Fatse said of Snappers starter Liam Hendriks, a 21-year-old right-hander who struck out six, allowed only a second-inning double and retired the final 12 batters he faced over five sterling innings. "He located both sides of the plate. He almost threw kind of a teaser slider, just trying to get you on your feet. But he was locating his fastball, mixing up speeds and did a really good job.

 

"Everybody's human. You're not going to put up 10 hits a game as a team, but as long as we keep that focus and that mentality at the plate, I think we'll be fine. It's just one game."

 

Fatse had been swinging the hottest stick on the club, batting .571 (eight-of-14) over the previous five games and an even .500 (14-of-28) over the previous 10 but struck out twice and didn't collect a hit in four trips to the plate as his average "dipped" to .438.

 

Isom, meanwhile, called Hendriks "probably the best guy we've seen this year."

 

"We knew we had a battle," Isom said. "I thought in the first inning we had some good at-bats off of him and didn't have anything to show for it. And then he just settled in and he rolled the remainder of the way."

 

The Snappers, who boast the league's second-lowest team ERA at 2.43, used three pitchers to quiet the Rattlers and also took advantage of an early lead due to a four-run opening inning against Wisconsin starter Maverick Lasker.

 

Still, the attitude in the home dugout was one in which players were sure they'd whittle away at the deficit and eventually assume control, given the recent production.

 

"With this offense, we figure anything is possible," said designated hitter Chris Dennis, who drew three walks on Friday and leads the club with four homers and 13 RBI while batting .340. "Tonight, we had a rough night, but we're going to keep swinging the bats. There's never a deficit that we can't overcome as a team — that's how we feel."

[Mass Haas]

Brad with a first-hand account on the Wisconsin game, including Lasker / Heckathorn comments, and a reason to see if Khris Davis is in Saturday's lineup...

[Mass Haas]

Hey folks, apologies from me, as I failed to remind you about last Thursday's Timber Rattler game being a Time Warner Channel 32 event.

 

Here's the box score from that game

 

You have two chances to DVR the replay from that game this weekend -- the position players and Andre Lamontagne would appreciate it, Eric Arnett may wish you to overlook this one -- regardless, if you want to do some self-scouting with the convenience of the occasional fast-forward / rewind button, here's the schedule for the re-broadcasts:

 

Saturday 4/24, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

 

Sunday, 4/25, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM