Cougars losing streak hits five

The Kane County Cougars (39-44, 4-9) dropped their fifth straight game, 5-3, against the Clinton LumberKings (48-34, 9-3) on Tuesday night at Northwestern Medicine Field in front of a season-high 9,119 fans.

Clinton scored the first run of the night in the second inning. With Keegan McGovern at first, Zach Scott laced a ball to right center. Luis Silverio cut if off, but bobbled, allowing an unearned run to score and make it 1-0. In the fifth, Ryan Costello lined a ball to left center with a pair of runners on. Both scored and Clinton seized a 3-0 advantage.

Clinton right-hander Clay Chandler was perfect through four innings, but the Cougars broke through in the fifth. Ernie De La Trinidad led off with a walk and Ryan Grotjohn doubled him home to cut the deficit to 3-1. Two batters later, Tim Susnara bounced into a fielder's choice to drive in the second run of the inning and bring the score line closer, 3-2.

In the ninth, the LumberKings tacked on two more runs off Cougar pitcher Cole Bartlett. An RBI single from Costello and a run-scoring bounce out for Eugene Helder provided the offense. In the bottom half, the first three Cougars reached base, including Yan Sanchez's RBI single. The Cougars had two runners on and no one out, trailing by two when Tim Susnara hit into a 4-6-3 double play. The next hitter, Eudy Ramos, struck out to end the game.

Cougar starter Jeff Bain (7-3) took the loss. The right-hander gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings of work. Logan Ratliff tossed three scoreless frames in his Cougar debut. Cole Bartlett surrendered the two ninth inning runs in his only frame on the mound.

Clinton starter Clay Chandler (5-1) earned his second win of the year against the Cougars with 5.1 innings of two-run ball that included seven strikeouts. Matt Clancy hurled 1.2 innings of scoreless ball. Colin Kober picked up the save, his fifth of the year.

The four-game series shifts to Ashford University Field in Clinton for the final two games, beginning Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.