Lugnuts handle Cougars 5-2
With a chance for just their second three-game sweep of the season, the Kane County Cougars lost 5-2 to the Lansing Lugnuts on Monday night at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.
Lansing (41-58, 9-21) grabbed the lead immediately with 3 runs in the first inning. Dalton Pompey walked, stole second and scored on a groundout off the bat of Dwight Smith, Jr. Kevin Patterson followed with an RBI double and scored on a throwing error by pitcher Juan Paniagua (0-2).
In the home half of the second, the Cougars (37-58, 7-22) mounted a bit of a comeback with Willson Contreras being hit by a pitch with two outs. Reggie Golden capitalized by slamming a home run to pull within a run.
Paniagua only worked 31⁄3 innings but didn’t surrender another run. Lansing added to their advantage with a run in the fifth against Sheldon McDonald.
Taylor Cole worked 5 innings for the Lugnuts while three Lansing relievers combined for 4 shutout innings. Arik Sikula recorded the final four outs while the Cougars squandered scoring chances in each of the last three innings, leaving seven men on base and 13 total for the evening.