Pre-doubleheader Post: July 27, 2017
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson stops by for his weekly “Chat with Matt”. This week: Talks about preparation on rain days and doubleheader days, former Timber Rattler Troy Stokes, Jr. getting the bump to Biloxi, Keston Hiura’s progress to playing defense, and updates on Tucker Neuhaus and Braden Webb.
Game one starts tonight in Burlington is 5:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Pregame Show at 4:40pm. The broadcast is also available on TuneIn Radio andIHeartRadio.
Starting Pitchers:
Game One:
WIS: Josh Pennington
BUR: Nate Bertness
Game Two:
WIS: Carlos Herrera
BUR: Ronnie Glenn
LINEUP:
Game Notes:
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers game with the Burlington Bees at Community Field was rained out. This was the fourth time the teams have had a rainout at Community Field and the fifth time a game between the teams has been rained out this season.
LAST ACTION: The Timber Rattlers beat the West Michigan Whitecaps 4–2 on Monday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Zack Brown pitched 6–1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the victory. Caleb Whalen had two hits, scored two runs, and drove in two runs for the Rattlers offense. Miguel Sanchez pitched a 1–2–3 ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
TWINBILL HISTORY: The Rattlers are 2–8 in five doubleheaders this season. They have split two and been swept in three. The Bees and Rattlers split a doubleheader in Wisconsin on April 11. Burlington swept a pair of doubleheaders at Community Field on June 15 and 16.
KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON: Keston Hiura, the #1 pick of the Brewers in the 2017 draft, went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI for the Rattlers on Monday. He has at least one hit in each of his first six games with Wisconsin and is 11-for-26 (.423). He also has at least one hit in 20 of the 21 games he has played as a professional. He has reached base in all 21 of his games as a professional.
2017 SERIES TRACKER: Wisconsin is 8–17 with six splits in 31 series this season. They are 2–11–3 in home series and 6–6–3 in road series.
THE ROAD AHEAD: Wisconsin is at Peoria (July 28-August 1). The Rattlers return home on August 2–8 to host Clinton and Cedar Rapids.
PROSPECTING: MLB Pipeline places four current Rattlers on their list of Top 30 Brewers Prospects: Keston Hiura (#5), Josh Pennington (#22), Mario Feliciano (#25), and Carlos Herrera (#30).
BURLINGTON IN 2017: The Bees are 44–56 this season, including 20–28 at home. They missed the playoffs in the first half. Burlington is 13–18 in the second half. In their most recent series, the Bees lost two of three games at Dayton.
2017 SEASON SERIES: The Rattlers are 2–11 against the Bees this season. Wisconsin is 1–6 at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium and 1–5 at Community Field. The Rattlers have lost nine straight games to the Bees
ALL-TIME SERIES:
Total Meetings: 295
Rattlers Record v. Burlington: 137–161
Home: 79–65
Road: 58–93
Playoffs: 4–4 (Burlington beat the Timber Rattlers 3–2 in the best-of-five MWL Championship Series in 1999. The Rattlers beat the Bees 2–1 in the best-of-three first round series in 2012).
BURLINGTON PROSPECTING: MLB Pipeline places one current Bee on their Top 30 list of prospects in the Angels organization: Pitcher Joe Gatto (#24).
BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER (GAME ONE): Nate Bertness was selected by the Angels in the 16th round of the 2015 draft out of McLennan (TX) Junior College. Bertness pitched in the Arizona League in 2015 and for the Orem Owlz in the Pioneer League in 2016. The lefty was 5–1 in twelve games — ten starts — with a 3.64 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 54–1/3 innings pitched for the Owlz last season. In his appearance prior to this evening, Bertness lost at Bowling Green on July 20. He allowed four runs — three earned — on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 4–2/3 innings. Bertness has made four starts against the Rattlers this season. He is 1–1 with a two no decisions. Bertness has allowed seven runs on 18 hits over 17–1/3 innings pitched with ten walks and 17 strikeouts against the Timber Rattlers this season. In his last start against Wisconsin, Bertness had a no decision at Neuroscience Group Field on July 9. He allowed a run on three hits with five walks and four strikeouts over 3–2/3 innings pitched.
BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER (GAME TWO): Ronnie Glenn was selected by the Angels in the 22nd round of the 2015 draft out of Penn. Glenn was an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention selection after his final season with the Quakers going 4–3 with a 3.12 ERA in nine games. Glenn was 6–1 with a 3.73ERA and 54 strikeouts over 41 innings pitched over 23 relief appearances with Orem in 2015. Glenn was with Burlington last season and was 3–7 with a 4.55 ERA and two saves in 27 appearances — 20 starts. In his appearance prior to this evening, Glenn pitched 2–1/3 scoreless innings, allowed four hits, and struck out two in relief at Bowling Green on July 21. Glenn made three appearances — two starts — against the Timber Rattlers last season. He went 0–1 and allowed six runs — five earned — on ten hits with seven walks and six strikeouts over twelve innings. Glenn has made one relief appearance against the Timber Rattlers in 2017. He gave up three runs on two hits and two walks for a blown save at Wisconsin on July 8.
