Field Manager Craig Noto Wins 100^th career game in Road Win

Starting pitcher Isaiah Carranza goes seven strong to lead Rafters

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. –  In a close game from Joannes Stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin Rapids (18-4) defeated the Bullfrogs (9-13) 4-2 on Wednesday night, giving field manager Craig Noto his 100^th career win with the Rafters.

Starting pitcher Isaiah Carranza (1-0) led the way for the Rafters, working around an error in the first inning to pick up his first win with the Rafters in his first start.

The Rafters offense started quickly in the first as Nick Anderson led off game reaching on an error. Two batters later, Dustin Woodcock drove a double down the right field line to score Anderson, giving the Rafters a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Bullfrogs tied the game when Troy Johnston bounced into a fielder’s choice to score Alonzo Jones.

It took until the fifth for the Rafters to take the lead back. Christian Jones led off the inning with a double against Bullfrogs starter Johnathan Pendergast (0-3) and Charlie McConnell followed with a base hit of his own. With runners on first and third with one out, McConnell got in a rundown between first and second, scoring Nick Owens from third, who pinch-ran for Jones at third to give the Rafters a 2-1 lead.

Green Bay knotted the game in the bottom half of the inning when Jones drove a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ben Hart to tie the game 2-2.

Wisconsin Rapids jumped back ahead in the sixth when Bryson Stott grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Woodcock, who doubled to start the inning, to give the Rafters a 3-2 advantage.

In the top of the ninth the Rafters tagged on an insurance run as McConnell roped his third base-hit of the game to score Stott, who started the inning off with a single.

Carranza struck out eight while allowing five hits and one earned run in seven innings. Pendergast is tagged with the loss for the third time this year after going seven innings and giving up two earned runs.

The Rafters return home to face Green Bay at 7:05 pm on Thursday night. Coverage of the game can be found on WFHR 1320 AM or WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network. Pregame coverage begins at 6:50 pm.

 

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit http://northwoodsleague.com/wisconsin-rapids-rafters/ or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.