Cougars drop first series of season as road trip ends

MIDLAND, Mich. -- For the first time this season, the Kane County Cougars have lost both a series and consecutive games as they fell 3-1 Wednesday night to the Great Lakes Loons in front of 2,709 at Dow Diamond.

The Cougars (15-4) won the series opener Monday night but lost the final pair by a total of 3 runs and finished their road trip at 3-3. They are off today and will start a nine-game homestand Friday at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva.

Cougars starter Jamie Richmond (1-1) had his first quality start of the season but took the loss. Richmond allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, walked none and struck out one over 6 innings.

The Loons scored first in the third inning, but Todd Johnson's two-out single in the fourth off Steve Johnson (1-1) scored Corey Brown, who had walked, and the game was tied 1-1.

Richmond had retired seven straight until Jaime Ortiz hit a one-out, solo homer in the fifth, and the Cougars never recovered.

Reliever Brad Hertzler gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth to account for the 3-1 final, as Matt Sartor picked up his first save for the Loons.