Strong pitching lifts Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars (51-40, 12-12) served up a strong pitching performance in a 2-1 victory over the visiting Dayton Dragons (49-45, 8-16). Right-hander Sam McWilliams (9-3) worked 6 innings with 6 strikeouts in another quality start.

The Cougars were no-hit by left-hander Scott Moss (10-5) until the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Ramon Hernandez doubled down the left-field line. But Hernandez was stranded, as Moss struck out Manny Jefferson and forced a lineout of Paxton De La Garza.

Moss allowed 3 hits over 6 shutout innings with 4 strikeouts. In his 6 innings, McWilliams did not allow a walk for the second consecutive outing.

The Cougars scored the first run in the seventh with some help from shaky defense. Against eventual losing righty Jesse Stallings (1-4), Raymel Flores was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a dropped ball by shortstop Hector Vargas. With two on, Ben Deluzio rolled a grounder to third, but John Sansone tossed the ball into right field as Flores scored.

The Cougars added their second run an inning later. Manny Jefferson and Adam Walton traded doubles, Walton's driving in the second run. It was Walton's second straight multihit game.

Lefty Junior Garcia (1-0) earned his first win with a pair of scoreless innings. In the ninth against lefty Colin Poche (1), Dayton scored its run on an RBI double from Bruce Yari with one out. But Poche fought back to earn the save, with a strikeout of Sansone and a flyout of Cassidy Brown to snap the Cougars' three-game losing skid.

The Cougars close their homestand with a noon game against Dayton. Left-hander Mack Lemieux (4-3, 5.77 ERA) will go against Dayton right-hander Tony Santillan (5-5, 3.34 ERA).