Cougars return shutout effort to Kernels
Cedar Rapids, IA - A stingy pitching performance for Joel Payamps (3-3) emboldened the Cougars (28-31) on the road stand finale as they gained a game on the first place Kernels (33-26) with a 2-0 win.
Payamps set a career high with eight strikeouts matching the second time he has done so this season. In June, Payamps has a 0.98 ERA in nine and two-thirds innings tossed. He has improved his ERA in each month so far this season.
It was the 10th shutout for the Cougars pitching staff to lead the Midwest League. It was the first since May 19th and second against the Kernels in 2016.
Shutout yesterday for the sixth time in less than a month's time, the Cougars made sure that did not happen again in the first inning. Midwest League All-Star, Trevor Mitsui, with Fernery Ozuna in scoring position and two outs cleared an RBI single to center field.
The Cougars made it 2-0 in the fifth inning as Ozuna was a part of the scoring again. Ozuna roped a one out RBI double to left field sending Raymel Flores home. Gifted with four Kernels errors, both runners who scored reached on Cedar Rapids defensive miscues.
As Payamps exited with a quality start on just four hits allowed after six innings, the Cougars bullpen maintained the shutout effort. Keegan Long (0-1) went for one and two-thirds of scoreless ball leaving with one man on in the eighth inning.
In relief, Drew Muren wound out of the eighth inning jam and finished the game for the save. He allowed a walk but with one out remaining, Midwest League All-Star, Zach Nehrir, made an incredible diving catch to provide the Cougars with a big win. Nehrir also had three hits on the evening.
Miles Nordgren (2-3) despite logging a quality start suffers the loss for the Kernels, Joel Payamps grabs the win for the Cougars, as Drew Muren (1) notches his first Midwest League save.
Friday night's contest begins at 6:30 p.m. against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to open a three-game series. Fittingly for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Night it's the Cougars' Justin Donatella (5-3, 2.47 ERA) against Wisconsin's Conor Harber (1-1, 3.60 ERA).