Cougars fall 7-1 to heavy lumber

CLINTON, Iowa — After a dominant 7-1 victory Saturday night, the Kane County Cougars fell by the same score to the Clinton LumberKings on Sunday at Alliant Energy Field.

That tied the four-game series at a win apiece. The Cougars, who were outhit 14-4, lead Clinton by 2 games for the Western Division’s top second-half playoff spot with 15 games left in the regular season. The Cougars’ lead for a playoff spot of any kind is 7 games.

The Cougars fell behind in the first inning and never recovered. Starter and losing pitcher Santiago Garrido (2-5) gave up a solo homer to Carlos Ramirez during a 2-run first, and the LumberKings added single runs in the second and third.

Garrido (2-5) gave up 4 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings. Antonio Cruz yielded 3 runs in relief before Mike Giovenco logged a pair of scoreless innings. The LumberKings scored in five of the first six innings and had at least 1 hit in each of the first seven.

The Cougars’ run came in the third against Carter Capps (1-0). Jovan Pickett singled, stole second and later scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Brian Fletcher.