Timber Rattlers Notes:
The only thing better than baseball on a Saturday afternoon is FREE baseball on a Saturday afternoon: 7 innings for the price of 6!

This game promised to be a showdown of 2 strong SOLL teams, and it did not disappoint. The T-Rats got baserunners to third in each of the first two innings, but couldn't get the clutch hit vs MattD's great pitching. Clyde took the bump for the T-Rats and struck out the side in the first before some defensive miscues led to 5 Diablos runs in the 2nd.

Unfazed, the T-Rats offense answered in the top of the 3rd. A dropped pop fly and a couple walks set the table for Chester's RBI infield single closing the gap to 5-2. Thunder came on to pitch the bottom of the third, an efficient 10 pitches and 3 Ks. Feeling the momentum, the T-Rats moved again, getting Lightning to third where Fingers sacrificed him home.

The T-Rats were still down 2 entering the top of the 5th. They put together a small-ball rally, culminated by Wingles' sacrifice bunt to plate the goahead run.

Lightning came on in the 6th and gave up a run on 3 singles, but with a runner in scoring position, he induced a fly to deep right to end regulation with the score tied 6-6.

In the top of the 7th, Fingers manufactured a run - he scalded a ball thru the second baseman, then stole two bases before scoring on a wild pitch. The T-Rats couldn't get another run home, so they went to the bottom of the 7th like the 6th - up a run. Lightning had a scare, giving up a bullet line drive to RichonM, but perfect positioning at shortstop saw it land in Rhino's glove for out #2. The game ended a pitch later on a routine grounder, final score 7-6 T-Rats.

Great pitching by all 6 pitchers - the T-Rats are looking forward to the rematch late in the season.

Called Up: Bamboo