You hit home runs not by chance but by preparation – Roger Maris

Michael Reed’s RBI single in the 7th inning.

Quad Cities 7
Wisconsin 9
Boxscore | Game Story

First things first.  Watch the home run by Haniger in the highlights.  Look for where the pitch is and how far out in front Haniger is,but he still manages to get a good swing on the ball to hit his fourth home run of the season.

Parker Berberet went down the first base line. The River Bandits were not expecting him to go that way.  That allowed Chris McFarland to race all the way home from first base.

I believe that my exact words before the Roache home run were: The outfield is playing him very deep <CRACK!> It doesn’t matter!  Listen for it on the highlights.

From now on when I hear Roache make contact, I am thinking of Walt Simonson’s sound effects from Thor.

As in: Here’s the 1-0 pitch to Roache….

Tyler Wagner extended his scoreless streak to 12-1/3 innings. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 21-1/3 innings pitched.

Tyler Wagner’s first two outings: 8IP, 8BB, 3K
Tyler Wagner’s last five outings: 26IP, 3BB, 29K

Tempting fate again, Orlando Arcia has not struck out in his last 31 plate appearances.  That includes 11 2-strike counts.

Tyrone Taylor and Michael Reed both extended their hitting streaks to eight games on Tuesday.  Reed is 13-for-28 and Taylor is 9-for-31 during the streak.

There are still some things that need to be sorted out by the defense.  There was a missed opportunity for a scoreless first inning, but the inning ending double play didn’t get turned. They gave too many outs to Quad Cities in that second inning and there were some missed cutoffs on throws.

BUT,

The Rattlers are above .500 for the first time since they were 2-1.  Plus, they are tied with Peoria (18-17) for 4th place and just two games behind Beloit and Quad Cities (Tied for 2nd at 21-16).

Highlights:

No game in the world is as tidy and dramatically neat as baseball, with cause and effect, crime and punishment, motive and result, so cleanly defined. – Paul Gallico

Jose Sermo scores on Tyrone Taylor’s ground out in the third inning.

11 innings
Burlington 4
Wisconsin 5
Boxscore | Game Story

Michael Reed and Tyrone Taylor both extended their hitting streaks to seven games.  Reed had three hits and scored two runs.  Taylor extended his hitting streak with a bunt single in the eleventh as he was trying to move Orlando Arcia to second base.

I know that I am tempting fate with this one…BUT…Speaking of Arcia: The last time the Rattlers shortstop struck out was in the eighth inning of the game at Great Lakes on May 4th.  He has gone 27 straight plate appearances without striking out.  Arcia has reached two strikes in ten of those 27 plate appearances.  He has four hits and two walks with two strikes against him since that strikeout on May 4.  He’s 18.

By my count Arcia is 5-for-22 with five walks since that strikeout.  Small sample size, but this is a rare time where BABIP = AVG

Heads defense by Adam Giacalone and by Eric Semmelhack.  Look for both plays in the highlights.

Clint Coulter struggled behind the plate with two more passed balls…BUT…look at him throw out Kyle Johnson at second base on the stolen base attempt in the top of the ninth.  Johnson had been 23-for-23 in stolen base attempts going into that try.

The two runs against Eric Semmelhack were: An unearned run on a two-out hit in the eighth and a wind-aided home run to left in the tenth.  I thought he pitched well.

For the record, the last time the Timber Rattlers won a game on a bases loaded walk was in 2007.  9/2/07 in the first game of a doubleheader and Calvin Beamon drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to force in Gavin Dickey with the run to beat Kane County.

The Timber Rattlers are back at .500 (17-17).  They are in a 3-way tie with Peoria and Kane County for 4th place in the MWL Western Division.  All three teams are three games behind second place Quad Cities.  The Rattlers have three games left on this homestand…They play Quad Cities.  Important series for the Rattlers

Highlights:

I like walking on the edge. – Levon Helm

That would be a seagull that decided to land in center.

Burlington 8
Wisconsin 3
Boxscore | Game Story

That other game would be THIS game. Cedar Rapids 23 @Beloit 16.  The Kernels and Snappers killed baseball today. It’s almost been 150 years.  It was a good run.

To the Timber Rattlers game!

20 walks…TWENTY!  Three scored…Seriously.  Dusty Baker was right…They DO just clog the bases.

Tyrone Taylor and Michael Reed both extended their hitting streaks to six games with their first inning doubles.

The Rattlers went from the third inning to the eighth inning without a hit.

Three outfield assists today for the Timber Rattlers.  It was a combination of good defense and some bad base running by the Bees.  I mean…look at that first assist by Haniger.  You can see exactly the spot on that highlight where Sandy Martinez thought it was a bad idea to tag on that fly ball.  The correct cartoon sound effect should the one that Wile E. Coyote makes when he tries to brake before falling off the cliff.

Jorge Lopez was doing okay, but he was on the edge.  That was a scoreless first inning with three strike outs, but he made 32 pitches in the first inning.  Yeesh.  But, the fourth inning was ridiculous.  He made a really nice pitch on Martinez and jammed him.  But, the ball was hit to the right spot and an errant throw.  A bunt single by Pedro Toribio on a sacrifice attempt put runners on the corners. Another error on  pickoff throw to third was what let the tying run score. Then, it was an RBI triple.  Then, it was a wild pitch on ball four. “That was pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain.”

Still, velocity was good. There is something there. Patience please.

Yes. Overall a frustrating game.  3-for-12 with runners in scoring position…11 runners stranded…four errors…back below .500…BUT, admit it.  There was that one point in the bottom of the eighth when they had the bases loaded with two outs and you thought…They’re going to do this again…They’re going to come back.  It may not have happened today, but that’s the feeling that keeps me coming back.

Highlights:

This was that point where I had that thought.

One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. – Benjamin Disraeli

It became a dark and stormy night…

Burlington 2
Wisconsin 4
Boxscore | Game Story

Austin Blaski was a 21st round pick out of a very good DIII school.  He was given an opportunity in the Timber Rattlers rotation when there was an injury in Brevard County that called for Brent Suter to head up to the Florida State League.  Blaski has made three starts since April 28:  16IP, 10 H, 6R, 3ER, 6BB, 10K.   He went after it on Saturday and earned the win.  In case you missed it he was at 97 pitches-61 strikes.

Orlando Arcia was discussed during the interview with Dusty Rhodes that aired between games of Friday’s doubleheader.  Dusty talked about how Arcia has been making good contact, how he doesn’t strikeout, and how he has a good idea on how to play the game.

Arcia was down 0-2 in the second inning against Pat Lowery.  He worked the count full and smacked a single.  By the stats, Arcia has struck out just 11 times in 103 at bats this season.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Arcia was at third with one out.  Tyrone Taylor struck out, but the ball popped away from the catcher and he had to throw down to first base for the out.  Arcia timed it perfectly and beat the throw home to score what turned out to be an important run.

In the top of the eighth inning, Wendell Soto was at second with one out.  Anthony Bemboom sent a grounder towards short.  Third baseman Mike Garza came over to cut off the ball and throw to first for the out.  Soto took off for third with no one covering….Little did he know….Arcia broke for third when he saw Garza was going to make the throw.  First baseman Adam Giacalone hit Arcia with a strike to third and the Rattlers shortstop dropped a quick tag on Soto to end the inning.

Orlando Arcia doesn’t turn 19 until August 4.

Weird weather as you can see in the photo above.  That is from the bottom of the sixth inning.  It got really dark and rainy.

I put this on twitter, but for those of you who are not on that particular social media:

There were six runs in tonight’s Wisconsin-Burlington game. One run scored on a hit…

— Chris Mehring (@CMehring) May 12, 2013

The others were: Sac Fly, Passed ball, E-2, Wild Pitch, & scoring from third on a throw to first after a strikeout.

— Chris Mehring (@CMehring) May 12, 2013

Alfredo Rodriguez was the Timber Rattlers player who had the only RBI hit and even THAT was weird.  He doubled down the third base line to drive in Taylor from first base.  The weird part was the throw to the plate hitting Taylor as he ran for home.  Watch it in the highlights.

Highlights:

Sleep fast!  First pitch at 1:05pm tomorrow as the Rattlers try to get above .500 for the first time since they were 2-1 on April 6.

PHOTOS:

Giacalone’s sacrifice fly.

This was one of Blaski’s seven strikeouts.

I think I took this picture to show where there is some clear sky…..out beyond the right field fence.

Taylor Wall. Save #4.

They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That’s how Dad did it, that’s how America does it, and it’s worked out pretty well so far. – Tony Stark

Victor Roache heads to the dugout after his three-run home run in the sixth inning of game one.

Game 1
LumberKings 3
Timber Rattlers 4
Boxscore | Game Story

Game 2
LumberKings 7
Timber Rattlers 0
Boxscore | Game Story

Watch the game one highlights. Skip ahead to :43 for the Victor Roache home run if you want. Good Lord.

Here’s the photo I took of the ball hit back at Magnifico that knocked his glove off in game one:

I saw ’00 ‘on the pitch speed indicator one time in the first game for Magnifico.  ’00′ would be 100 since it does not reach triple digits.  The pitch was a low fastball that missed the strike zone.  I saw a some 96s and a couple of 95s in there for Magnifico, too.  But the main thing was the only walk he allowed was an intentional pass in the sixth inning.

Parker Berberet and Matt Erickson were thrown out of the game in the top of the third inning in game one.  In case you missed it:

Dario Pizzano doubled into the left field corner and Villasuso headed for home [from first base]. The relay throw from shortstop Orlando Arcia beat Villasuso to the plate by ten feet. But, plate umpire Jeremie Rehak ruled that Villasuso eluded the tag and ruled the Clinton base runner safe.

Timber Rattlers catcher Parker Berberet argued the call briefly before being ejected as manager Matt Erickson raced out to prevent his backstop getting the thumb. After a few more moments, Erickson was ejected from the game, too.

Erickson was fine until he went to the plate to point out by how much the throw to the plate beat Villasuso.  Walking to the plate and holding his arms out while saying BY THIS MUCH is going to get you run.

The runner looked out. Berberet doesn’t react that way if he didn’t tag him. The manager doesn’t react that way if he didn’t think Berberet didn’t tag him. Unfortunately, it looked like Berberet bumped the umpire. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with that.

Tyrone Taylor had the home run to start the rally in game one.  He also had one of two hits in game two.  That’s a four game hitting streak at 5-for-12.

There were no highlights for Game two. None. Let’s just put that one behind us for now.

Series with the Burlington Bees starts on Saturday.  Tip: Burlington used five relievers in their doubleheader with Kane County on Friday night.  The Rattlers used two in their doubleheader on Friday.