Cougars fall in Wisconsin, 5-3
GRAND CHUTE, Wis. — Starting pitcher Tyler Wagner worked into the ninth inning to secure a 5-3 victory for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers over the Kane County Cougars on Tuesday afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium.
Wagner (7-6) worked a career-high 81⁄3 frames while not allowing any hits between the second and ninth innings.
Wagner surrendered 3 hits in the first as the Cougars (32-46, 2-10) jumped on top. Kevin Encarnacion singled but was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. Albert Almora also singled but was caught at second as he tried to stretch his hit into a double.
Jeimer Candelario provided a lift for the Cougars when he blasted a two-run homer on a 3-0 pitch from Wagner to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Tayler Scott (4-3) couldn’t hold on, though, as the Timber Rattlers (33-44, 4-8) struck for a pair in the bottom of the first.
The Timber Rattlers added a run in the fourth, then knocked out Scott walked Tyler Roberts and Alfredo Rodriguez with one out in the seventh. Both men scored on a Michael Reed double off reliever Sheldon McDonald, which gave the Rattlers a three-run advantage.
Wagner took the mound for the ninth but walked Dan Vogelbach to start the frame. Candelario reached on a fielder’s choice and came home on a Marco Hernandez base hit, which finally chased Wagner from the contest. Jono Armold (S, 1) finished it by inducing a double play groundball off the bat of Willson Contreras.