Cougars 10 games over .500

With Monday night’s 7-4 victory, the Kane County Cougars moved to a season-high 10 games over .500.

They beat the host Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium to improve to 30-20 in the second half and earn a sweep in the three-game set. The Cougars also moved to within three games of .500 with their overall record (58-61), the closest to the break-even mark overall they have been since April 23 when they were 7-10.

The Cougars scored 2 runs off Justin La Tempa (2-8) in the first. Geulin Beltre and Brett Eibner both singled and advanced on a wild pitch, and Cheslor Cuthbert drilled a 2-run single.

The Kernels rallied for 3 runs in the third off Santiago Garrido (2-4), but the Cougars regained command in the fifth and never looked back. Jovan Pickett scored on a grounder by Beltre, and Brian Fletcher later scored on an error.

In the eighth, Eibner scored on a wild pitch for a 5-3 lead, and after the Kernels managed an unearned run in the bottom half against Alex Rivers, Beltre singled home Pickett in the ninth and scored on a passed ball for the 7-4 final.

Garrido earned his second victory while tossing his first quality start. He gave up the 3 runs on 7 hits, walked one and struck out two in 6 innings.

Rivers worked 2 innings, and Nick Rogers handled the ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.