Cougars strike out 12 in 3-2 win

Solid pitching from the Kane County Cougars (14-10) once again helped the team to a victory as they took the series opener from the Lake County Captains (17-8) by a score of 3-2 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Monday evening.

Just prior to the game, Justin Donatella (4-0) was named the Arizona Diamondbacks' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April. The Cougars starter fell just one out shy of his fourth quality outing of 2016, but with his numbers picked up the win and saw his ERA change to 0.94 after his appearance.

The Cougars supplied Donatella with three runs of offense, getting RBI singles from Raymel Flores and Trevor Mitsui in the third inning off of Matt Esparza (3-2).

Relief pitching was prominent in Monday's victory as Gabe Speier earned his first hold of the season and Jared Miller picked up his second save.

Speier took over for Donatella in the sixth inning, but escaped the biggest jam in the seventh. After Lake County put runners at the corners with nobody out to begin the frame, Speier struck out the side to begin a trend of nine consecutive punch outs by the Cougars' relievers. Other than one walk in the ninth, Miller struck out every batter that he faced.

The Cougars and Captains continue their series on Tuesday for a noon first pitch. Shao-Ching Chiang (1-2, 4.58) takes the mound for the Captains against the Cougars left-hander Junior Garcia (2-1, 2.84).