Kane County Cougars sweep doubleheader against Chiefs
PEORIA - After being rained out on Friday, the Kane County Cougars (2-1, 38-33) swept the Peoria Chiefs (1-2, 34-37) in a double header on Saturday at Dozer Park in Peoria. The Cougars improved to 4-0 in doubleheader games after taking two from Peoria in the twin bill.
The dramatic bottom of the seventh inning gave the Chiefs a fighting chance, but the Cougars hung on for a 6-3 win.
The Cougars jumped out in front with 2 sacrifice flies from Marty Herum and Colin Bray. A 2-0 advantage was held until the third inning, when the Chiefs found the scoreboard for the first time in 15 innings.
A couple of Peoria errors helped piece together a 4-run fifth inning for the Cougars. With the bases loaded and only 1 out, Herum lifted a fly ball to left field that was misplayed by Kenny Peoples-Walls and allowed 2 Cougars runs. Bray later punched in 2 more runs for a 6-1 Cougars advantage.
More solid pitching backed the Cougars in game two as Troy Marks allowed only 1 run through three innings in his first start. Tom Jameson (1-0) tossed two perfect innings of relief before Jency Solis' 1-2-3 seventh frame.
Despite stranding 9 runners in the first game of the twin bill, the 2 runs the Cougars produced were enough as the pitching staff tossed a seven-inning shutout. Ryan Doran (1-0) picked up the win in his Cougars debut as he threw five scoreless frames and did not allow a hit until the third inning. Luis Ramirez stranded a pair of runners for a hold before Zac Curtis twirled a perfect seventh inning for his league leading 14th save of the season.
The Cougars' offense had plenty of chances to score, but settled for 2 runs. Chuck Taylor came home on a Peoria error in the third inning. Ryan Hutchison picked up a big RBI with a 2-out double to score Colin Bray in the sixth.
Jhonny Polanco (1-1) and Matt Pearce (3-8) suffered the 2 losses on the double header.
The Cougars and Chiefs will finish up the series on Sunday in Peoria. Ethan Elias (6-3, 2.84) will take the mound for the Cougars against Peoria's Daniel Poncedeleon (6-1, 2.26). First pitch from Dozer Park is scheduled for 5 p.m. Coverage on AM 1280 WBIG and kccougars.com begins at 4:45 p.m.