Cougars walk off 4-3 against Chiefs
The first half of the 2015 regular season ended in walk-off fashion for the Kane County Cougars (36-32) as they edged past the Peoria Chiefs (35-33) 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Sunday's win marked the Cougars' fifth straight victory and ninth consecutive win at home.
The Cougars scored two runs in the first inning and didn't see the scoreboard again until the last frame. The rally in the ninth started on Ryan Gebhardt's leadoff walk and turned into runners at first and second with one out for Cody Regis. The Cougar All-Star laced an RBI double into left center field to tie the game. During the play, Henry Castillo was caught in a rundown for the second out. Despite the second out, Regis reached third base as the game winning run 90 feet away. Michael Perez followed up with a sharp grounder back to the mound that ricocheted off of pitcher Robby Rowland (1-2) and allowed Regis to score for the walk-off winner.
Ildemaro Vargas started the Cougars' offense with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning. Chuck Taylor made it a 2-0 lead with an RBI single later in the inning.
Peoria tied the game with two runs in the third inning and took their first lead of the series in the eighth.
Cody Geyer (2-1) picked up the win.
The Cougars wil take a three-day All-Star break before beginning the second half of the regular season June 25 when the Cougars begin a seven-game road trip in Peoria.=