LumberKings chop down Rattlers 4-2

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. - On Sunday afternoon, the Peoria Chiefs scored nine times in the top of the eighth inning and went on to beat the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 15-6. On Tuesday night, the Clinton LumberKings scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to break a tie and defeat the Rattlers 4-2 at Time Warner Cable Field. Nate Tenbrink delivered the decisive hit for the visitors with two outs in the pivotal inning.

Wisconsin had the early advantage. Corey Kemp's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the first inning gave the Rattlers (37-38 overall, 3-2 second half) a 1-0 lead.

Clinton (43-32, 3-2) tied the game in the third. Terry Serrano tripled to lead off the frame. An RBI grounder by Scott Savastano knocked in Serrano.

The LumberKings went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth. Denny Almonte singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Blake Ochoa.

The Rattlers tied the game thanks to some sloppy Clinton defense in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kemp was at first after a one out single. John Delaney sent a hard grounder to Savastano at third. Kemp was running on the play, so Savastano's only play was to first base. The throw was wild and the Rattlers catcher chugged around to score the tying run.

Delaney took third on the play and Wisconsin had a great opportunity to take the lead. But, the next two batters were retired and the game entered the later innings tied 2-2.

In the top of the eighth, the Rattlers gave the LumberKings a hand. Reliever Liam Ohlmann hit Savastano with one out and walked Sanchez to put two runners on base. Brandon Ritchie relieved Ohlmann and got a strikeout for the second out. But, Tenbrink lined a single to right to score Savastano with the tie-breaking run. A throwing error on the play allowed Sanchez to score an insurance run.