Cougars kept scoreless by LumberKings
On the losing end of a 3-0 decision, the Kane County Cougars (12-24, 45-61) evened up their series with the visiting Clinton LumberKings (25-11, 64-42). Despite a quality start of over 6 innings on just 1 run from Carlos Hernandez (5-8), a solo home run in the seventh inning by Clinton's Arturo Nieto provided the go-ahead damage, paired with a 2-RBI base hit in the ninth from Logan Taylor.
A home stand characterized by tremendous pitching and defense, Sunday's matinee was no different. With Mariners elite prospect right-hander Nick Neidert (7-2) on the mound, the Cougars sent out Hernandez to counter. Neidert's start was short but effective. In 3 innings, he allowed just 1 hit to Gerard Hernandez and no runs with a pair of strikeouts. On the day, the LumberKings used five different hurlers to shut down the Cougars.
In a long outing Hernandez put together one of his best starts of 2016. Shutting down the LumberKings through 6⅓ innings pitched, Hernandez gave up a towering home run to the patio deck beyond left field to give Clinton a 1-0 lead. The blast was hit by Nieto, his first of the season. The run scoring seventh for the LumberKings snapped a streak of 17.1 scoreless innings tossed by the Cougars pitching staff.
For insurance, the LumberKings added two more in the ninth against the Cougars left-hander Hector Hernandez (1-0). With 2 outs and two on, Taylor's first hit of the night provided the extra cushion on a single to right field.
The Cougars only managed 3 total hits in the contest after only managing 3 hits in a 1-0 win on Saturday night. After Hernandez's single in the 2nd, the other knocks came from newcomer Stryker Trahan and Trevor Mitsui, both doubles. Transferred from High-A Visalia last week, Trahan creamed a one-out double down the right field line in the seventh. The following two batters struck out and the Cougars greatest chance to score elapsed.
Hernandez took the loss, reliever Lukas Schiraldi (5-3) picked up the win with five scoreless innings, and Matt Walker (6) closed the door for a save.