Cougars blast Rattlers for 11-5 win

Justin Trapp’s grand slam capped a seven-run third inning as the Kane County Cougars blasted the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in an 11-5 triumph Tuesday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva.

After grabbing a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first, the Cougars (21-18) surrendered a four-spot to Wisconsin (23-16) in the top of the third off starter Robinson Yambati.

Yambati was pulled off the hook in the bottom of the third as Lane Adams cracked a triple to draw Danny Mateo and Jorge Bonifacio to the plate while Adams scored on a bases-loaded walk to Edul Escobar, tying the game at 4-4. After getting Tim Ferguson to bounce into a fielder’s choice, David Goforth (3-3) hung a breaking ball to Trapp, who pulled a grand slam down the left field line, putting the Cougars up by four.

Kane County never looked back. Michael Antonio and Murray Watts strung together RBI doubles in the fourth inning while Antonio added an RBI in the sixth. Brooks Pounders (2-1) fanned seven in five relief innings as he surrendered just three hits including a solo homer to Nick Ramirez.

The Cougars are on the road Wednesday night when they battle the Cedar Rapids Kernels from Veterans Memorial Stadium at 6:30. Right-hander Aaron Brooks (2-4) starts for the Cougars against fellow righty Jairo Diaz (1-4).