Cougars facing decisive Game 3

Posted September 12, 2010 11:00 pm

CLINTON, Iowa - The Kane County Cougars entered play Sunday night just 1 win away from their fifth trip to the Midwest League Championship Series, and they finished play still 1 win away.

The Clinton LumberKings beat the Cougars 6-2 at Alliant Energy Field in Game 2 of their Western Division Championship Series to even the best-of-three series and force a decisive Game 3 Monday night in Clinton.

Michael Choice, who joined the Cougars on Saturday and homered in his first at-bat, led off the second inning with a long home run to left for a 1-0 lead. It was the Cougars' only lead of the night.

The LumberKings scored single unearned runs against Kenny Smalley over the next 2 innings and added 1 more in the fourth for a 3-1 advantage.

Smalley (0-1) gave up the 3 runs (1 earned) on 7 hits over 31/3 innings, and reliever Bo Schultz yielded 3 runs in the fifth for a 6-1 deficit.

Ryan Doolittle and Aaron Larsen combined for 3 scoreless innings out of the Cougars' bullpen.

The Cougars added 1 run in the sixth with two outs. Choice singled and took second on a wild pitch, and Rashun Dixon doubled him home to make it 6-2.

Nick Czyz (1-0) earned the win. The Cougars' offense had 4 hits and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

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