Cougars fall 7-5 in 10 innings

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth and a walk-off blast in the 10th pushed the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a 7-5 victory over the Kane County Cougars on Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Nick Graffeo (0-1) was unable to protect a 5-4 lead for the Cougars (22-19) as Chevy Clarke punched out a solo home run to left-center, tying the score at 5-5 in the ninth.

In the 10th, Ryan Jones opened with a single and scored on a Andy Workman’s 2-run shot for the Cedar Rapids victory.

Kane County held the lead three times but let each advantage slip away.

Scott Alexander was staked to a 3-0 lead in the second when Michael Antonio and Murray Watts clubbed home runs. Alexander allowed a 3-run homer to Trevor Hairgrove in the third to make it 3-3. Alexander worked 3 innings before leaving with an apparent leg injury.

Jason Mitchell worked four innings out of the bullpen, allowing 1 hit and 1 unearned run.

An error by Antonio allowed the Kernels to tie the game at 4-4 in the eighth.

Jorge Bonifacio tripled and scored on a wild pitch against starter Jairo Diaz in the sixth to break the 3-3 tie. Lane Adams’s RBI fielder’s choice to knock in Tim Ferguson in the top of the eighth snapped the 4-4 lock.