Grand Chute, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers gave their fans a thrilling final home game of the 2026 season on Sunday, rallying from an 8-4 hole to edge the South Bend Cubs 11-10 before a crowd of 6,396 at Neuroscience Group Field.
Early lead changes
The Cubs opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly by Josiah Hartshorn. Wisconsin answered in the bottom of the third when Luis Lameda singled and Edgardo Ordóñez homered, putting the Rattlers ahead 2-0 – Ordóñez’s first long ball since June 2025.
South Bend reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a two‑run homer by Logan Poteet. Wisconsin starter Jarrette Bonet, making his Midwest League debut, exited after five innings, having allowed three runs on three hits.
Mid‑game swings
In the sixth, the Cubs added runs against Wisconsin reliever Yerlin Rodriguez, but a defensive play by Tyler Rodriguez stopped a further score. The Rattlers responded when Lameda drove in a run with a groundout and Ordóñez added a sacrifice fly, narrowing the gap to 5-4.
The seventh inning turned disastrous for Wisconsin when a walk to Poteet set up a triple by Alexey Lumpuy that cleared the bases, giving South Bend an 8-4 lead.
Late comeback
Eric Bitonti and Luis Castillo sparked a comeback for the Rattlers. Bitonti’s double and Castillo’s long home run cut the deficit to two runs.
In the eighth, a Cubs error on a ground ball by Ethan Bell allowed Wisconsin to load the bases. Danie Dickinson’s single scored Lameda, and Bitonti’s double drove in two more runs, giving the Rattlers a 9-8 lead. Castillo’s double and Tyler Rodriguez’s double off the wall pushed the advantage to 11-8.
Final innings
South Bend rallied in the top of the ninth, with back‑to‑back homers by Poteet and Lumpuy bringing the score to 11-10. Michael Fowler closed the game for Wisconsin, recording his fourth save of the season.
Despite the win, the Rattlers were eliminated from playoff contention as the Quad Cities secured a victory that left them 6½ games ahead with only six games remaining.
Season recap
Seven Rattlers recorded multiple hits, and the team logged seven doubles among fifteen hits. Bitonti finished the season with 85 RBIs, while Castillo and Ordóñez each added three RBIs on Sunday.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
