Cougars come back for 5-3 win over Bees

Coming back for the second consecutive game, the Kane County Cougars (26-8, 62-40) finished off the sweep against the Burlington Bees (12-22, 47-56) with a 5-3 win from Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Thursday evening.

Trailing 2-0 in the third inning, Marty Herum tied up the game with a 2-run double as part of a 3-run frame. Three batters later Colin Bray singled home Herum for a 3-2 advantage.

Both Markus Solbach and Justin Anderson didn't allow another run for the rest of their outings.

Burlington tied up the contest in the top of the seventh when Tim Arakawa sacrificed home Trevor Gretzky. It was the second straight day the Bees tied up the score late in the ballgame.

Retaking the lead in the bottom of the frame, Henry Castillo connected on a one-out double before Bray sent home the runner on a hustling double of his own.

Herum came through in the clutch again in the bottom of the eighth when he singled home Ildemaro Vargas for a 5-3 Cougar advantage.

The Cougars used five different pitchers on Thursday, sending Nick Baker, Jency Solis (5-1), Luis Ramirez and Zac Curtis to the mound after Solbach's five innings of work. Curtis picked up his league-leading 22nd save of the season stranding two runners on in the ninth. Eric Alonzo (0-2) suffered the loss.

The Cougars welcome in the Cedar Rapids Kernels for a three-game series on Friday to finish off the homestand. Left-hander Josh Taylor (1-1, 1.93) will kick off the series against the Kernels' Randy Rosario (1-1, 1.10). First pitch at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.