The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers open the Midwest League championship series
Matt Erickson
tonight against Fort Wayne. Games 1 and 2 in the best-of-5 series are tonight and tomorrow afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium before the series shifts to Fort Wayne.
AUDIO: Mgr. Matt Erickson says it started with getting better, now they’re here :14
Fond du Lac native Chad Pierce will start game 2 on Thursday afternoon for the Timber Rattlers. But he’s treating it as just another game, trying to keep the pressure from entering the situation.
AUDIO: Chad Pierce said this is what it’s all about :15
Since dropping their first playoff game to Burlington, the Timber Rattlers have reeled off 4-straight wins entering the series opener tonight. They’re making their fourth appearance in the Midwest league Championship Series and first since 2005.
The last time the franchise won the Midwest League championship was back in 1984, as the Appleton Foxes.
The Rattlers played just one regular season series against Fort Wayne, losing 2 of 3 on the road in mid-July. Wisconsin posted the third-best record (78-61) in the Midwest League this season, while Fort Wayne finished under .500 at 69-71. They get home-field advantage for the best-of-five series based on a rotating playoff format.