Cougars bats come alive in homestand finale

Rattling out 12 hits and eight runs, the Kane County Cougars (26-27) had a complete offensive performance to win the series finale against the Burlington Bees (25-28) Thursday night, 8-2.

The Cougars' starter, right-hander Bo Takahashi (1-1), was removed just two outs into the first inning with an apparent injury, setting up a long night for the bullpen. But they responded valiantly with shutout frames from innings 3 through 9.

While the Cougars played to avoid a series sweep, it was the Bees who captured a 2-0 lead in their half of the second inning.

The Cougars fought back with a 5-run home half of the second. It was the second most runs the Cougars have scored in an inning all season. All nine batters went up to the plate, rapping out 6 hits, as the Cougars saw RBI hits from Galli Cribbs, Sergio Alcantara, and Zach Nehrir.

The highlight of the inning was a 2-RBI triple from Fernery Ozuna, his first in 2016. The hit shifted the momentum in the game and provided the Cougars with the lead in the contest for good. After just two innings, the Cougars held a 5-2 lead.

In the third, the Cougars bats continued to punish the Bees' left-handed starter, Joe Gatto (1-7). The inning started with a double from Trevor Mitsui and Grant Heyman walked to put two aboard. Gatto's pick off attempt went high scoring Mitsui allowing Heyman to advance to third. Two batters later, Galli Cribbs roped his second RBI hit of the evening and the Cougars led 7-2.

Gatto finished with just 2 1/3 innings pitched on nine hits, seven runs (five earned), and just 2 strikeouts with a walk. It was Gatto's second losing effort against the Cougars this season.

Burlington errors also headlined this game, as the Bees committed 5 in total as 3 of the Cougar runs scored went unearned. One of those runs was plated in the home half of the eighth when a 2-out fly ball from Austin Byler was dropped in right field giving the Cougars their final run.

Cameron Gann (1-2), with 3 scoreless innings and 5 strikeouts for the Cougars, earned his first professional win, Joe Gatto lost for the second time in as many tries against the Cougars, and the Cougars are now 4games behind first-place Cedar Rapids.