Cougars beat Kernels with season-high 11 runs
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Scoring a season-high 11 runs, the Kane County Cougars (7-11, 40-48) came back in the seventh inning against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (8-10, 44-43) to win a seesaw battle with four lead changes, 11-9. Gerard Hernandez and Trevor Mitsui combined for five hits and five RBI.
The Cougars clinched their first road series win since April 28th, only their third overall on the season. It is the first time the Cougars have had a win streak of three or more since the end of May. With the finale of the eight game road stand tomorrow, the Cougars have a chance to finish with an even 4-4 record.
From the first inning, the Cougars faced adversity. Left-hander Junior Garcia (3-7) allowed three runs in the first stanza after the game was delayed for nearly 45 minutes. Zander Wiel, and Nelson Molina had the RBI hits and Jaylin Davis stole home on a throw to second.
A 3-0 deficit did not phase the Cougars offense for a moment. In the top of the second frame, the Cougars claimed a lead plating four runs. Trevor Mitsui began the inning with a hit and eventually scored on a Galli Cribbs sacrifice fly. But the brunt of the damage was executed by Joey Armstrong and Gerard Hernandez. Armstrong tripled home one run. And the next swinger, Gerard Hernandez crushed a two-run homer to give the Cougars a 4-3 lead.
In a lengthy and run-producing first half of the game, the Cougars made it six unanswered runs with two more runs in the away half of the fourth. After a single from Fernery Ozuna, a double from Cribbs, the sucker punch came from Colin Bray's two-run single extending the Cougars cushion, 6-3.
In an impressive retort, the Kernels staged a four-run response in the next half inning. Zander Wiel's fifth triple of 2016 sent two to score. J.J. Fernandez homered in the very next at-bat for a two-run shot as the Kernels re-claimed a 7-6 lead.
With both starters failing to escape the fourth frame, it became an offensive slugfest. In a seesaw affair, the Cougars showed offensive vigor late again, similar to their comeback Saturday night. In the away half of the seventh, Mitsui singled home a game tying run with two men on base. Two in the order later, Cribbs' roller on the right side of the infield was mishandled for the go-ahead run.
With a guiding hand at the plate, Hernandez put the finishing touches on the Cougars impressive offensive showing with a two RBI base hit in the top of the ninth inning. Hernandez finished two-for-five with four RBI and a home run on the day.
Cody Clark (4-0) picked up the win in over three innings of scoreless relief, Kuo Hua Lo (0-1) suffered the loss, and Mason McCullough hung on for the two inning save. Monday, the Cougars start a 12:05 p.m. contest against the Kernels. It's the Cougars' debut of right-hander Jose Almonte (0-0, 0.00 ERA) against the Kernels right-hander Eduardo Del Rosario (0-2, 6.25 ERA).