Late run drops Cougars 2-1

For the second straight day, the Kane County Cougars (22-23, 67-39) surrendered a deciding run in the ninth inning Monday to fall 2-1 to the West Michigan Whitecaps (24-12, 65-41) at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

Michael Heesch (2-1) was one out away from sending the 1-1 tie into the bottom of the ninth, but he allowed back-to-back doubles to Austin Schotts and Wynton Bernard for a 2-1 West Michigan lead.

The Cougars' run came off reliever Michael Robertson (6-5) in the seventh. Shawon Dunston Jr. brought home Trey Martin with a double to even the score at 1-1.

Runs did not come easy for the Cougars as West Michigan's starter Kevin Ziomek fanned 13 batters through 6 shutout innings. The Cougars' Daury Torrez provided a quality start of his own with 6 innings of 1 run and 4 strikeouts.

Julio Felix (11) put away the Cougars 1-2-3 in the ninth to pick up the save.

The Cougars head to Appleton, Wisconsin, for a three-game series against the Timber Rattlers. The Cougars will begin the series Tuesday night with Duane Underwood (5-2, 2.44) on the mound against Wisconsin's Victor Diaz (3-4, 4.14). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.