Cougars swept by Chiefs - again
Searching for their first win at Dozer Park in over a year, the Kane County Cougars (4-11, 37-48) lost Thursday in 12 innings at the hands of the Peoria Chiefs (8-7, 48-37) in a game that lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes to end the series. The Cougars were swept in four games although they held a lead at some point in three of the contests.
The Chiefs tied the game in the ninth against Julio Perez who blew his first save. Perez walked the lead-off man Brian O'Keefe who came home on three wild pitches to tie the game at two runs a piece. Without any offense in extras, another walk came around to score as Edmundo Sosa recorded the walk-off hit to hand the Cougars another close loss.
In search of a charge offensively, the Cougars got a home run from Colin Bray in the fourth inning after starter Jake Woodford (4-3) exited the contest with three scoreless innings. Bray ripped the first pitch he saw from reliever Steven Gallardo (1-1) over the right-field wall as the Cougars went a top of the Chiefs, 1-0.
Using the home run ball again in the seventh frame, the Cougars struck for a 2-0 lead against the Chiefs. Austin Byler slugged his third home run of the season in moonshot fashion. It was the fifth time the Cougars have posted a multi-home run game, the first time since June 15th at Beloit.
As the Cougars went to the bullpen in the sixth inning, Cody Clark (3-0) put a runner on third base with one out but got out of the jam. In the next inning, Brian O'Keefe blasted his sixth home run of the season against Clark cutting the Cougars lead to 2-1.
Still in the seventh, the Chiefs Chris Chinea and R.J. Dennard singled after the O'Keefe home run, forcing the Cougars to make a pitching change with two men on base. But left-hander Kirby Bellow struck out Dylan Becker to maintain the Cougars slim advantage.
Without any insurance runs the rest of the way the Cougars called on Julio Perez for the ninth inning save. After giving up an opening base hit, Perez tossed three wild pitches as the game-tying run scored sending the contest to extras.
In the 12th inning, the Chiefs walked-off against Mason McCullough (0-1). After a walk to Magneuris Sierra with two outs, Edmundo Sosa's base hit scored the game winning run as the Cougars suffered the sweep. McCullough took the loss, as Luke Harrison (3-1) picked up the win for the Chiefs.