Cougars fall to Captains in slugfest, 11-8

With both teams pounding away at the scoreboard, the Lake County Captains outlasted the Kane County Cougars in an 11-8 contest Monday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, evening their series at a game apiece.

Lake County (5-13) didn’t put a man on base until the fourth inning as Kellen Moen went through the first three frames perfectly. With the Cougars (9-9) leading 2-0 in the fourth after a Justin Trapp third-inning single, the Captains struck for six runs to chase Moen. Todd Hankins capped the rally with a three-run double to score Robel Garcia, Leonardo Castillo and Jerrud Sabourin.

The Cougars fought back with Trapp cracking a two-run double in the fourth to pull the Cougars within one. In the sixth inning, Trapp lifted an opposite-field two-run homer to put the Cougars on top, 8-6 and to give him a six-RBI day.

Mike Giovenco (0-2) couldn’t hold the lead for the Cougars as Lake County grabbed a run in the seventh and four in the eighth. Luigi Rodriguez blasted a three-run homer off Giovenco to put the Captains on top. Francisco Lindor followed that with his first homer of the season.

Jeff Johnson (S, 1) worked the final two frames for the Captains, holding the lead for Francisco Valera (1-2), who tossed 1 innings of scoreless relief in place of starter Will Roberts.

The Cougars take on the Captains at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark with a 11 a.m. star Tuesday to conclude their three-game series. Right-hander Santiago Garrido (2-0) starts for the Cougars against fellow righty Joe Colon (1-1).