For the City Times

Pitching staff led by Carranza quiets Mallards bats

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Coming off a four game losing streak, Wisconsin Rapids (39-17, 12-8) bounced back into the win column with a 2-1 win over the Madison Mallards (30-25, 11-9) on Thursday. In the pitching duel, Wisconsin Rapids scraped together their two runs on a wild pitch and a Mallards error. The pitching trio of Isaiah Carranza (5-0), Mason McReaken and Layne Henderson allowed just one run against the power-hitting Mallards.

Madison opened the scoring in the third inning on an Andrew Baker RBI single with two outs. Cole Daily singled and stole second base before coming around to score on Baker’s hit to put the Mallards up first in the battle of South Division foes.

The Rafters tied the game in the fourth, taking advantage of a wild pitch to even the score. Bryson Stott singled and advanced to third before racing home on a wild pitch off the hand of the Mallards Sam Cottingham-Beard on his first pitch in relief of starter Logan Wonn.

Wisconsin Rapids took the lead in the fifth inning, scoring on an error with two outs by third baseman Thomas Smart of Madison. Charlie McConnell came in to score the unearned run after singling with one out. The go-ahead run proved to be the difference in the ballgame as the Rafters hung on to earn the 2-1 victory.

Carranza earned his fifth win on the season, tossing seven innings of one-run baseball and striking out five batters. Henderson earned his league-tying 14th save of the year, striking out the side in the ninth to seal the victory. Cottingham-Beard (1-2) earned the loss for Madison, allowing the go-ahead run in the fifth inning.

The Rafters head to Madison tomorrow for a double-header with the Mallards. Two seven inning games will begin at 5:00 p.m., with coverage starting at 4:50 p.m. on AM 1320 WFHR and WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network.